How do I plan a business meeting?

Benjamin Franklin saying:” Success is the residue of planning ”. This quote perfectly illustrates the challenge of good organization when it comes to corporate meetings. In fact, taking the time to prepare for each stage helps to avoid wasting time, to maintain the concentration of teams and to optimize productivity. It will therefore be interesting to understand how to set meeting goals, choose the right format, select the right participants, and organize all the logistical aspects to make your meeting a real success.

Define the goals of the meeting

One The objective of the meeting to structure exchanges and to reach concrete decisions. So, for organize a meeting, it is essential to determine the purpose, purpose and expected results.

Why set a clear objective?

THEObjective of the meeting must be the common thread of its organization. A precise framework makes it possible to guide discussions towards concrete decisions and to avoid unnecessary wasting of time.

Conversely, a meeting without a defined goal is often ineffective. Let's take the example of a business meeting convened to “take stock” without specific information on the subjects to be addressed. Without direction, participants make a series of unrelated interventions, decisions remain unclear and the overall impression is that of valuable time that is being misused. Unlike a meeting with an explicit objective that mobilizes attention and guarantees better effectiveness of meetings.

Identify expected results

Once theObjective of the meeting determined, it is essential to identify the Expected results. This involves specifying:

• The decisions to be taken: for example, validating a budget or choosing a service provider.
• Information to share: updating a project, communicating a strategic change.
• The solutions to be found: respond to an identified problem or optimize an existing process.

A clear framework facilitates the involvement of participants and promotes productive meetings.

Analyzing specific needs

Beyond the objectives and expected results, a well-prepared meeting requires identifying the specific needs to ensure its smooth running.

This includes:

• Les essential data : statistics, reports or documents required for decision-making.
• Les experts to mobilize : some meetings require the intervention of a specialist to shed light on a subject.
• Les adapted tools : presentation materials, interactive whiteboard, collaborative software.

By defining a clear objective, by specifying the Expected results and by identifying the specific meetings, it is possible to insure important meetings, productive and oriented to effective decision-making.

Choose the format of the meeting

To plan an exchange, it is essential to choose the most appropriate format for the meeting. The choice of format is based mainly on the nature of the topics covered, the number of participants and the logistical constraints.

Choose the type of meeting

Not all types of meetings serve the same purpose. It is therefore imperative to identify the one concerned in order to adopt the right approach and mobilize the necessary resources. Some of the most common formats include:

• The information meeting : allows clear and consistent messages to be transmitted to a group, such as a strategic announcement or an activity report;
• The brainstorming meeting : promotes creativity and the emergence of new ideas, often in a more informal setting;
• The decision-making meeting : aims to resolve specific issues after analyzing the available options;
• The follow-up meeting : allows you to take stock of project management and to adjust the actions to be taken for the next steps;
• The team meeting : aims to strengthen collaboration and communication between members of the same department or project. It makes it possible to share progress, align objectives and promote problem solving ;
• The crisis meeting : takes place in the event of an urgent situation that requires rapid decisions to be made in order to solve a problem. These resolution meetings are absolutely necessary. For them to take place, it is essential that all participants know the problems beforehand.

Each work meeting Effective must therefore be designed according to its characteristics. A good identification of type of meeting facilitates the sharing of information and guarantees better involvement of participants.

Meeting modality: face-to-face, remote or hybrid?

Once the type of meeting has been defined, it is necessary to choose the mode of communication. Today, several modalities exist, each with its advantages and constraints.

• Face-to-face meeting : Ideal for dynamic interactions, it promotes spontaneous exchanges and the commitment of participants. However, it requires reserving a suitable room and ensuring the availability of speakers.
• Remote meeting : Recommended when teams are spread across different sites. It is based on participatory meeting management tools such as Microsoft Teams, zoom or Skype for Business, which make it possible to communicate effectively by videoconference.
• Hybrid meeting : Combines physical presence and remote participation. This format requires specific logistics (reliable connection, optimal sound quality, interactive tools) to ensure smooth communication between all participants.

The rise of remote meetings has profoundly transformed how businesses collaborate. In fact, according to INSEE, 44% of French companies organized remote meetings via the Internet in 2022. It is therefore essential to choose the right modality that corresponds to the needs of the professional meeting.

Select relevant participants

The success of a meeting depends largely on the choice of participants. Careful selection ensures relevant exchanges and avoids meetings that are too long or unproductive. It is therefore essential to invite only persons concerned. That is, those who have a direct role in the decisions to be made or who have essential information to move discussions forward. Define a number of participants to the optimal meeting allows for a fluid dialogue.

Beyond the selection, each participating must have a specific role. The facilitator, or moderator, ensures Facilitate a meeting, respecting the time and the agenda, ensuring that exchanges remain focused on the objective set. Some meeting participants will have a more active role depending on their expertise or their involvement in the subject being addressed.

Once the speakers have been chosen, it is necessary to send them a invitation to the meeting clear and detailed on their email address. A simple message is not enough, it is important to specify the purpose of the meeting, the points that will be dealt with and the documents to be consulted beforehand. The sending ofinvites formal, often via a planning tool such as a shared agenda, facilitates the organization of meetings and makes it possible to quickly obtain attendance confirmations. Program reminders a few days before the event also ensures the availability of all participants and to optimize the planning of meetings. One summoning supported by effective reminders allows you to maintain maximum engagement and a smooth running of the meeting.

Determine the location, date and time

A well-organized meeting depends on a suitable location, a well-chosen date and an optimized schedule.

Reserve a place and the necessary tools

The choice of boardroom must correspond to the number of participants and the necessary equipment (screen, video projector, microphone). For the remote meetings, the use of animation tools is essential to maintain the attention of each participant. Testing the internet connection and hardware in advance avoids technical problems. If you are looking for a fully equipped meeting room in the heart of Paris, discover our spaces.

Take into account the availability of participants

Ensuring the presence of participants requires advance planning. It is important to identify a niche that suits everyone, taking into account everyone's schedules and constraints. The integration of the meeting into professional calendars such as Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook facilitates organization and limits oversights. Sending a confirmation a few days before the deadline helps avoid last-minute cancellations.

Avoid unproductive slots

Schedules directly influence the effectiveness of a meeting. It is best to avoid slots at the end of the day, just before or after lunch. At international meetings, the adaptation to time zones is essential. Privileging time slots in the morning, at the beginning of the week, improves concentration and productivity.

Develop an effective agenda

One agenda Clear is essential to ensure a productive meeting and avoid unnecessary discussions. It makes it possible to frame the exchanges, to maintain the attention of the participants and to optimize the decisionmaking.

To do this, it is necessary to identify the themes to be addressed in advance. Each point should provide real value and be clearly defined. A good content of the meeting ensures the relevance of debates and facilitates the follow-up of actions to be taken.

Time management is also essential. A balanced distribution makes it possible to avoid digressions and to respect the planned duration.

To develop an effective agenda. It is recommended to:

• Prioritize important topics at the start of the session.
• Consider a Icebreaker if all participants do not know each other.
• Expect a Round table to include each subject without monopolizing the speaking time.
• Leave space for questions and clarifications before the next meeting.

A well-prepared agenda template is the key to an effective and constructive meeting.

Prepare the necessary supports and documents

A good support presented at a meeting facilitates the transmission of information. It is essential toanticipate documentation needs by preparing presentations adapted, whether they are files PowerPoint, reports or summary sheets. These documents must be accessible to everyone in advance to allow better preparation of participants.

Finally, the Note-taking and the writing of a meeting report are essential for monitoring decisions made and actions to be taken. This report should be sent to all persons concerned, present or not, at the meeting.

Conclusion

An effective meeting is based on a careful planning. Before starting, a final check is required, room and equipment reserved, agenda clear, accessible supports. Don't forget to make your employees aware of best practices: timeliness, active involvement and writing of a debriefing. By anticipating each step, it is possible to maximize the productivity and to transform each meeting into a real lever for decision and action.