How to hold a productive meeting

Team meetings are the equivalent of football huddles. As such, they are one of the most visible arenas in which you can exert control over the players. Keeping your team productive frequently will come down to how well you run team meetings. Here are some techniques that might work for you.

Strive for variety. This is the most important piece of advice for team leaders. If you structure every meeting in an identical way, you are only reinforcing the impression that team activities have stalled.

Zero in on one member’s activities or outlook. If you are in a phase where the team’s decisions will center on input from the most knowledgeable member, start with that person and then lead the group through possible questions.

Break the group up into task forces. Even though the entire unit may be functioning well, to keep things fresh, break the group up into a few smaller groups and give them specific responsibilities.

Keep the huddle short, but focused. Long, meandering meetings sometimes leave the attendees wondering what the point was. Set an agenda and time limit and stick to them.