How to ensure MAGIC meetings

Tony Jeary talks about running meetings according to the acronym ‘magic’. Trying out these ideas may reduce the time wasted.

The ‘M’ stands for ‘Meet or don’t meet?’ Many meetings take place ‘because it’s Monday morning’ or ‘2nd Friday in the month’. Think whether you really do get value from that meeting. If there’s not much to meet for, decide whether the time spent could be better utilised elsewhere.

The ‘A’ stands for ‘Agenda’. Whether it’s on the phone or in person, it will be useful to have an agenda that is focused on results. Publish and distribute the agenda beforetime, so the right people know what’s being covered and what their contribution to each item should be. Only include those items that will add to the benefits the meeting calls for.

‘G’ stands for ‘Guidelines’. How should the meeting be run, what steps should be taken, and how should you focus on solutions? How should questions be handled? Remember, these should be guidelines, not rules. People don’t like to be constricted by rules; guidelines are less formal and are more likely to be adhered to.

‘I’ means ‘Involvement’. Engagement is vital for everyone within the meeting, so ensure everyone knows the role they are playing, the expectations and the results that are required. This involves also setting specific action plans, as the purpose of each meeting should be to change something in the future.

‘C’ means ‘Clarity of Communication’ and this should be considered throughout the meeting. Confirming everyone’s understanding of the meaning of the meeting points is vital for its success. Go back and repeat the main points. Notify each person of up-dates and make sure actions are followed up.

So, apply this magic formula; decide if the meeting should take place at all, set a specific agenda, ensure guidelines are followed, keep people involved and ensure clarity of goals and actions. That way, you stand a great chance of reducing or eliminating time wasted in poor meetings.