How to have an effective project meeting

One thing you will learn about in project management courses is the important of holding regular meetings and communicating effectively with your team. However, there are so many project managers who do not run successful project meetings. While they hold them regularly, they allow the meeting to run off course and they do not achieve what they set out to. With that in mind, read on for some top tips on how to have an effective project meeting.

The first thing you need to do when planning any meeting is set objectives. We have all been there – spent two hours in a meeting and felt like we have achieved absolutely nothing. This occurs when there are no objectives set out before the meeting takes place. By having a list of objectives, you give your meeting structure and ensure you achieve something from it. You also need to make sure that you get the right people to attend the meeting. There is no point in inviting the whole team to the meeting if you are going to be discussing issues that does not concern half of them.

Another tip for holding an effective project meeting is to keep the papers short. If you hand over a huge number of project papers, which feature masses of detail, you are only going to de-motivate everyone in attendance. And, of course, you will be wasting resources too. Instead, try to keep it to one-page per objective or issue. One option to consider is a traffic light system. With this, you can give out a template, which is split into three sections – green, amber, and red. Red is for major issues, amber is for some issues, and green is for things that are going well.

Make sure the meeting room is comfortable. This is something that a lot of project managers overlook. However, it is important to take care of your team if you want them to engage and perform to the best of their ability. Make sure you select a comfortable conference room. If it is the middle of summer, turn the air conditioning on, for example. You should also ensure that the meeting starts and finishes on time. There is nothing more frustrating than a meeting running 30 minutes over schedule. Equally, the last thing you want is for people to turn up half way through. If you stick to your end of the bargain by starting and finishing on time, your team will stick to theirs.

As you can see, holding an effective project meeting does not need to be difficult. If you consider everything that has been mentioned above, and implement the simple tips that have been suggested, you can ensure that you make the most of each and every project meeting that you hold. And, remember; don’t hold a meeting for the sake of it. Regular catch-ups are important, but there are instances when instant messenger or a phone call will be just as effective. Use all modes of communication available to you.

The author has written and published articles on a wide range of topics including Small Business Advice, Tax and Accounting, Interior Design, House Renovation and Project Management.