Ever had the feeling that the meetings you attend are a complete waste of time? No agenda, no organizer, just some incoherent emotional rambling about stuff that bothers you and the others. Well, check out these six ways to hold a tight meeting. Just as they do at Google HQ. # Set a firm agenda # Assign a note-taker # Carve out micro-meetings # Hold office hours # Discourage politics, use data # Stick to the clock For an indepth look at those six ways, check out this article from BusinessWeek.
6 ways to run an effective meeting
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Speaking of mind mapping, I couldn’t resist noting that mind mapping is just a KILLER way to run a meeting. Project a map on a screen or share it online. Start the meeting with your agenda in a map, capture ideas and feedback into the map. Everyone can see what is being captured so the notes tend to be very representative of what actually took place (versus a designated notetaker creating their own version of the meeting). \n\nTowards the end of the meeting, make sure all decisions, action items agreed on in the meeting actually get done by assigning resources and due dates–again, right in the map and for everyone to see and come to agreement on. \n\nFive minutes after the meeting ends, all participants can have a copy of the notes–and actions–and assignments right there in their inbox as a map or a word doc or PPT or Project plan or Outlook tasks–even as a web page. \n\nOne common, collectively built set of notes that keeps everyone on the same page. When it’s time for the next meeting, just open up that map, quickly catch up on where you left off, and off you go. It’s an incredibly efficient way to meet–and leads to more great ideas being captured and actually accomplished.