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In a humorous video, Meetings, Bloody Meetings, John Cleese plays an inept leader who has a dream about being hauled into court for negligent conduct of meetings. While the premise of the film is funny, the reality is that plenty of workers feel the same way about the people who conduct their safety meetings.
Have you ever attended a meeting that was boring? Or one in which the presenter was unprepared? We all deserve much better than that, and practically everyone sees room for improvement in meetings - safety meetings, staff meetings or any type of meeting. The ability to lead effective meetings is a skill that can be enhanced, resulting in increased credibility, trust and results. Following a few simple steps can improve all meetings.
Step 1: Do We Really Need to Meet?
First, determine whether the meeting is necessary. Could this interaction be handled more efficiently? Many meetings that occur regularly could be handled by a phone call or memo.
Step 2: Define the Purpose
Every meeting should start with a brief statement that describes the purpose or outcome of the meeting. An action-oriented statement prepared ahead of time will 1) help clarify what needs to happen during the meeting; 2) define how the meeting should be conducted; and 3) provide a basis for evaluating meeting results.