How do I prepare for a meeting? 7 steps to a productive encounter
Employees spend an average of 37% of their working time in meetings (Source: Reclaim.ai). This significant figure explains in part why most employees fear endless, and often unproductive, meetings. So, to avoid the trap of acute reunionitis, the key lies in the preparing for the meeting.
Preparing a work meeting ensures its relevance and effectiveness, avoids wasting time and achieves the goals set. From the definition of objectives to the preparation of the agenda, including the choice of boardroom, find all the essential steps to follow to organize your meeting.
1. Definition of objectives: ensure a good meeting
Before even planning a meeting, it is essential to clearly define the objectives to be achieved by asking yourself some questions:
- Why is this business meeting taking place?
- What should we decide, validate or produce at the end of the meeting?
- Moreover, is this meeting essential or can the objectives be achieved in other ways?
This essential step will allow you toguide the entire preparation.
The objectives will of course vary according to the different types of meetings (e.g.: problem solving meeting, working group meeting, training meeting, training meeting, project management meeting, technical meeting, team meeting, weekly meeting...).
As the organizer and facilitator of the meeting, you must therefore identify in advance whether the aim is, for example, to:
- Solving problems;
- Start or manage a project;
- Brainstorm;
- Share announcements/news about the company;
- Take stock;
- Make decisions/validate strategic directions;
- Etc.
In any case, keep in mind that a specific objective is the key to a focused and productive meeting. Finally, don't forget to sharing goals of the meeting with all participants so that they can also prepare. This will ensure a smooth and efficient process.
2. Identification of participants: aim right
Now that you know your goals, take some time to think about the participants. For organize a meeting effective, you need to bring together the good interlocutors, and only them. Indeed, it is useless, even counterproductive, to invite an entire team if only a few profiles are concerned by the topics discussed. Likewise, it would be unfavorable to the smooth running of operations to forget essential collaborators.
The ideal is to limit the number of participants to promote the fluidity of exchanges. We therefore advise you to invite only people who can contribute to the achievement of the objectives set. It will also make it easier to make decisions.
3. Development of the agenda: structure exchanges
The agenda is common thread of your professional meeting. It is he who allows you to stay on track during discussions, to involve all participants as much as possible, and to ensure the smooth running of the meeting.
The agenda must be carefully prepared, in line with the objectives:
- Identify and list topics to discuss in chronological order.
- Allocate a specific amount of time for each item to be addressed during this meeting. This will allow you to avoid overflows.
- Share the agenda before the start of the meeting to allow each participant to prepare and gather any necessary working documents.
Find our agenda template to conduct an effective meeting.
4. Logistics planning: setting the framework
THEmaterial and logistical organization should not be underestimated because it contributes significantly to the success of a meeting. Indeed, controlled logistics not only makes it possible to start on time (by avoiding technical problems), but above all to create an environment conducive to concentration.
At this stage, be sure to:
- Choosing the right format : the decision to organize a face-to-face meeting, in videoconferencing or in a hybrid format depends mainly on the type of meeting, but also on the constraints and preferences of each participant. The format will have an influence on the location of the meeting.
- Book the room in advance: the meeting room should be welcoming, well-equipped, and spacious enough. Choose your room based on the format of the meeting, your goals, and the number of participants.
- Check the equipment : in terms of equipment, nothing should be left to chance. Make sure they are available and check that they are working properly before the meeting starts. You may need a projector, a microphone, a camera, a whiteboard, a good internet connection...
Good to know : if your business meeting is particularly strategic or requires the creativity of the participants, it may be interesting to organize it outside the company walls. Changing the environment promotes engagement, focus, and productivity.
5. Inviting participants: maximizing the participation rate
Before sending out your invitations, you should decide on a date and a time slot. If the presence of certain people is mandatory for the smooth running of the meeting, consider check their availability before setting the date and inviting the rest of the participants.
We recommend that you send your invitation by email to keep a written record.
Don't forget to specify:
- the objective of the meeting,
- the agenda,
- date and time,
- the location or, if applicable, the connection link to participate in the remote meeting.
If necessary, feel free to attach preparatory documents so that everyone arrives ready.
6. Preparing media: choosing relevant tools
Les visual supports (slideshows, work documents, dashboards...) are essential for a productive meeting. The right tools will help you Facilitate a meeting, to capture the attention of the audience and to facilitate their understanding of the key points.
- Create clear and synthetic presentation materials on Powerpoint, for example, which will be broadcast during meetings.
- Use participatory meeting facilitation tools to help you facilitate the meeting. They can be tools to structure exchanges, facilitate collaboration, stimulate creativity, create a friendly atmosphere with a Icebreaker, etc., or simply tools to facilitate note taking and follow-up (e.g.: Google Docs, Miro, or Notion).
In general, well-designed materials reinforce the impact of your message and the engagement of participants.
7. Anticipating exchanges: gaining fluidity
Setting up a meeting also involves anticipating the reactions of the participants, in particular any questions and objections. Moreover, regardless of the type of meeting, it is generally advisable to leave time for questions at the end of the meeting.
By trying to anticipate exchanges as much as possible, you will thus be able to:
- Prepare reasoned answers when needed;
- Structure speaking and offer equitable speaking time between speakers;
- Facilitate exchanges to boost the meeting;
- Facilitate decision-making and the achievement of goals.
In conclusion: our best practices for optimal preparation
Whether your meeting takes place in person or remotely, good preparation is the key to avoiding most of the problems encountered in meetings, such as a lack of employee participation, difficult decision-making, or even unrespected timings.
To easily apply all of our tips above, feel free to create a Checklist items to check prior to the meeting, including:
- Define goals;
- Structure the agenda and send it to the people concerned;
- Set the date;
- Choose the meeting format;
- Send invitations (with RSVP) and, if necessary, send reminders;
- Prepare presentation materials;
- Choose and prepare animation tools;
- Validate logistical aspects;
- Anticipate questions and bottlenecks.
Finally, here are some additional tips to optimize the preparation of your meetings:
- Avoid multiple meetings to keep the interest of the participants.
- Respect the time slot set for the meeting so as not to waste participants' time.
- Identify, if necessary, a person in charge of taking notes so you don't miss out on any essential items.
- Write a meeting report at the end of the meeting to ensure a follow-up of the exchanges and decisions taken.
In summary, a effective preparation is the guarantee of constructive exchanges, concrete decisions and a real gain of time for all.
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