Three Simple Hacks to Generate an Extra Half A Day per Week For Your High Performing Teams

According to research by Rogelberg (2023), improving meeting effectiveness can save employees more than 4 hours per week. Following are three of the most common, simple and most powerful meeting opportunities that Stoke Consulting observe when helping teams become high performing.  

1. Always Plan with an Agenda

Benefit: Focus and Efficiency 

An agenda is more than just a list of topics; it’s a roadmap for a successful meeting. By planning with an agenda, you set clear expectations for what needs to be accomplished, helping to keep the discussion on track and within the allocated time. This not only respects everyone’s time but also ensures that the meeting stays focused on priority issues. An agenda helps prevent meandering conversations and makes it easier to identify and address key points efficiently. 

How to Implement: 

• Distribute the agenda ahead of time so participants can prepare. 
• Include specific topics, objectives, and time allocations for each item. 
• Stick to the agenda during the meeting, but be comfortable to be flexible if necessary. 

2. Regularly Go Around the Table for Contributions and Confirm Agreements

Benefit:  Inclusivity and Clarity 

One common pitfall in meetings is the dominance of a few voices while others remain unheard. By regularly proactively going around the table and asking each participant for their input on each topic, you ensure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute. This practice fosters a culture of inclusivity and ensures that diverse perspectives are considered. Additionally, asking participants to confirm their agreement with the suggested outcomes provides clarity and consensus, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings and misalignments.  

How to Implement: 

• Regularly prompt each participant to share their thoughts on the current topic. 
• Encourage concise and relevant contributions to maintain flow. 
• After discussing each item, seek verbal confirmation or disagreement from each participant regarding the proposed decisions. 

3. Do Not Leave Without SMART Actions Agreed

Benefit: Accountability and Progress 

Meetings can sometimes end with vague resolutions and no clear next steps, leading to confusion and stalled progress. This often means that the same over-loaded people end up doing the work post-meeting. Ensuring that every meeting concludes with Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) actions transforms discussions into tangible outcomes and helps managers to delegate. SMART actions provide clear direction and accountability, making it easier to track progress and follow up. 

How to Implement: 

• At the end of every meeting, review the key points and decisions. 
• Assign specific tasks to individuals, clearly defining what needs to be done, by whom, and by when. 
• Document the actions and distribute them to all participants as a reminder and a record. 

Conclusion 

In high-performing teams, meeting effectiveness is crucial for maintaining momentum and achieving goals. By planning with an agenda, ensuring inclusive participation, and concluding with SMART actions, your team can transform meetings from potential time-wasters into powerful tools for collaboration and productivity. Being disciplined in implementing these hacks (basic management principles) until they become part of the normal culture will significantly increase leadership effectiveness, enhance overall team performance and satisfaction. 

Reference: Rogelberg, S. G., Shanock, L. R., Scott, C. W., & Baran, B. E. (2023). The science and practice of team meetings: Current trends and future directions. Journal of Business and Psychology, 38(2), 123-139. 

Chris Read 

Stoke Consulting 

Leveraging his extensive leadership and entrepreneurial background, Chris consistently leads high-performing teams of leaders to outstanding business achievements. He excels in unravelling the intricacies of challenging business scenarios, crafting strategic plans and fostering deep trust including during executive coaching. This comprehensive and high integrity approach significantly elevates business performance for his clients, helping them to exceed expectations. Chris’ experience includes successfully leading multiple $1B+pa businesses with full P&L responsibility across nine countries and 800 reports to starting, building and selling his own e-commerce business, all the while building high performing teams of leaders.