One reason so many of us hate meetings is because there’s no structure and no real purpose. Even if there is structure, order, and purpose, if the facilitator gets distracted the meeting can go down winding roads.
Let’s face it some business meetings drain your energy. That’s because the conversation resembles popcorn in the wind. There are too many priorities, multiple left-hand turns, and no action items to follow up on.
This happens at group meetings on site, Zoom meetings and one-on-one meetings. Allowing distractions makes people dread meeting with you; therefore, they disconnect before the conversation begins.
Here’s what to do. Set an intention and a desired end result for every meeting.
The skillset is to plan, plan, plan. I know planning doesn’t “feel good” if you are a mover and a shaker, but a stitch in time saves nine! There is value in creating a plan and sticking to it.
Planning the conversation’s intention and goals is the key to avoiding distraction.
Decide in advance where you want the conversation to go and the kind of tone you expect. What’s the final outcome? What action items require follow through? How long will the meeting last?
If you’re getting distracted, whether in a one-one one meeting. a group huddle or a strategy session. see if planning helps you stay on track.
