To Meet or Not To Meet?

I have never been a fan of meetings. It has been my experience that meetings are an excuse to get together and talk about what you should actually be using that time to do. So, imagine how confused I was, with myself, when I initiated 2 meetings this week. The purpose of those meetings was to introduce myself and my business to members of my new community. I accomplished my goal of creating connections with some other productive business women. So, overall, I have found a purpose for short meetings that I can live with and I have 2 intentional meetings scheduled for next week. Honestly though, I think that will be enough meeting, for me, this month.

For all of you meeting lovers out there, here are a few tips that you can use to ensure that your meetings are intentional.

Tip # 1. Meet with an agenda or clear intention. Go into a meeting with at least 1-2 questions that get answered or messages to deliver. Your intention with vary based on your role as initiator or invitee.

Tip # 2. Have your meeting in a public space over lunch or coffee/tea. If you choose a lunch meeting, use the time it takes to prepare your meal to conduct the meeting. This will help you focus on what needs to be said and accomplished in the time frame allotted. If you choose to meet over coffee/tea drink while you talk and when your cup is empty your meetings agenda should be fulfilled.

Tip # 3. Take notes. There is nothing more frustrating than for me to receive a call from someone I just met with, asking me to repeat something that I went over in the meeting. Your notes will also be important resources for you to refer to should you have to meet or work with the other attendees in the future.

Tip # 4. When your intentions are fulfilled, end the meeting. When all is said and done, you are done. Move on. It is also important to conclude your meeting as soon as possible so that you can move on to implementing the things covered in the meeting. This will ensure that you remain consistently productive.

These tips will help you maintain valuable time that you can spend developing your business, enjoying your family, and investing in your personal development.

To Blog…Nakeia