Start And End Team Meetings On Time

Always start your meetings on time! Always end your meetings on time!

If you want great attendance at your meeting it is essential that they are fun, to the point and start and end on time.

It may seem like you should wait for more in attendance but actually by starting late you are validating those who arrive late and perpetuating a problem. Start on time and people will know that you start on time and so they will begin coming on time.

Alternately, when you finish the meeting at the appointed time you are showing respect for your team members’ lives and family. We all have full lives and a run-away meeting will hurt the long term attendance of your training events!

Tips To Meetings On Time

Follow a few simple tips to make sure that your meetings don’t go over schedule next time you plan one.

1. Have a regular meeting time. Randomly scheduled meetings are always harder to get the team to attend. A well attended meeting is key to productivity.
2. Promote the date and time of the meeting just like you would a home party. Publicize the event a month out and use all resources to promote it and connect with your team both online and off.
3. Have a plan or agenda with topics outlined and a timeline assigned. Build in extra time for questions and socializing.
4. Make sure that you arrive on time, and as soon as the meeting begins close the door so any latecomers will have to disrupt the meeting in progress to join the party. This applies to virutal meetings as well. Don’t be late and mute the lines and the chimes when the meeting starts.
5. If people do arrive late, it is OK to acknowledge their arrival by politely welcoming them by name, and then continue with the meeting without filling them in.
6. If someone or some people are monopolizing the meeting time, take control. Keep the meeting on track.
7. Set an alarm on your cell phone to go off 5 minutes before the meeting is scheduled to end. When it goes off immediately begin wrapping up the discussion and announce that the meeting is over.
8. If for some reason  you did (hopefully not) start late you still should end it on time. Just let them know that there time is important to you and you don’t want to keep them over. If anyone feels they have unfinished business, allow them to stay after the meeting has dispersed but let the rest of your team leave.
9. After the meeting reevaluate your agenda. Was it realistic? Do some areas need tweaked with more or less time at the next meeting?

When you start and end your meeting on time you will be honoring the ones who are there.  Don’t wait for those who are late! When you run and productive and prompt meeting both online and off it is showing your team you respect them and they will return the favor.

Time is the biggest challenge to any business owner today. Make sure your meetings are respectful of your team’s time and fun so that your team keeps on coming back.