Hosting and participating in a meeting can be taxing. However, if you can organise and plan effectively beforehand it will greatly reduce your stress levels. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for a meeting to get you started.
Technical details and venue hire
This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s easily forgotten in the hustle and bustle of preparing for a meeting. Invite your attendees ahead of time to be sure of their confirmation.
Hire your event venue in advance to confirm the space and avoid disappointment. If you’re looking for a suitable and versatile meeting space in Birmingham city centre, feel free to contact us for any help you may need. Confirm the time, location, and duration of the meeting with your attendees and you will be off to a great start.
Plan your agenda
Having a clear and concise agenda will help ease any pre-meeting anxieties you may have. A solid agenda will be one that alerts attendees of the objectives of the gathering, as well as keeping the meeting focused, time-efficient and on track. Consult your manager and other members of your team to help you come up with a list of planned topics for discussion. You can also send out the agenda ahead of time to keep participants up to date.
Assign roles
A good leader knows how to assign roles that will best fit the people involved. It’s also been proven that assigning roles to those involved can increase focus and engagement in the event. A scribe, timekeeper, and facilitator are important jobs that will help keep your gathering on track and ensure that notes are taken for later consideration. Make sure to alert your attendees of their roles in advance so that they too can be prepared for the meeting.
Send out materials
If you have any required documents to be read before the meeting, be sure to send them out a day or two before your planned gathering. You should ensure that you’ve made it clear in your email that these materials are to be read ahead of time. Also, be prepared to highlight any key highlights from your pre-reading just in case others have not had the chance to study the documents beforehand.
Prepare the room and any equipment
Now that you’ve selected and reserved your meeting room ahead of time, be sure that you’ve prepared the venue with any equipment you or your team might need. This may be as simple as a few extra sheets of paper and pens or perhaps multimedia tools for aiding your presentation. Other details to consider include stocking plenty of water bottles and ensuring that the temperature in the room is suitable. These may seem like minor details but studies have proven that the correct temperature can boost mood and attentiveness.
Practice
Practicing any presentation or speech you are required to give is another activity that will reduce the pre-meeting jitters you are experiencing. Study the minutes from previous meetings to give yourself an idea of the appropriate tone of voice or length of presentation that will be expected of you. Once you’ve gathered all of your materials, invited attendees and practiced your presentation, you’ll be well prepared for your meeting.
Follow-up activities
Once your meeting is over, take stock of the minutes and give yourself time to capitalise on what you’ve learned from the other participants. Sending out a follow-up email or scheduling a call with attendees is crucial for a successful meeting. Actions like this show your employer and the event participants that you are a proactive host and organiser.
Learn more about our Birmingham meeting room facilities.