Three steps to wrap-up a meeting - Mint

Three steps to wrap-up a meeting · Confirm key decisions and next steps. · Develop communication points. · Gather session feedback. Especially if ... 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"storyDirectUrl" OPENAPP HomeLatest TrendingPremium CoronavirusVaccineTrackerCoronavirusMarketDashboardLongStoryPlainFactsMarkToMarketPrimerPhotosPodcasts Home/Industry/Threestepstowrap-upameetingThreestepstowrap-upameeting Premium Photo:Photomorphic 3minread.Updated:04May2016,02:40AMISTBobFrisch,CaryGreeneAquickpost-meetingwrap-upwithattendeesbeforetheyleavetheroomgoesalongwaytoensuringthegatheringachievedwhatitsetoutto ReadFullStory Whenasportsteamfinishesagame,itusuallydoesn’tgatherupitsgearandimmediatelyleavethecourt,rink,fieldorlockerroom.Theplayersandcoachestakeafewminutesforapost-gamemeeting—aritualthat’sjustasimportantasthepre-gamewarm-up. Inourview,participantsinbusinessmeetingscanbenefitfromthesameexercise.Aquickpost-meetingwrap-upwithattendeesbeforetheyleavetheroomgoesalongwaytoensuringthegatheringachievedwhatitsetoutto,andthatfutureget-togetherswillalsoprovesuccessful.Herearethreestepstotakeattheendofeachmeetingthoughyoucan,ofcourse,dialupordowneachcomponentasthesituationwarrants.Onceyou’vedonethisinperson,makesuretofollowupinwriting,aswell. Confirmkeydecisionsandnextsteps.Recapwhatwasdecidedinthemeeting,whoisaccountableforfollowingthrough,whenimplementationwilloccurandhowitwillbecommunicated.Youwanteveryattendeetoleavethemeetingwiththesameunderstandingofwhatwasagreed,sothere’slittlechanceofanyonereopeningtheissueslater.Oneclientwe’veworkedwithprepsforthisend-of-meetingreviewbywritingdowndecisionsastheyaremadeonaflipchartsonothingisforgottenoroverlooked.Healsonotesactionitems,includingwhoisresponsible,whentheyshouldhappenandhowstatuswillbereportedbacktothegroup. Developcommunicationpoints.Ifacolleaguenotatthemeetingasksanattendee“Whathappened?"heorsheshouldknowwhattosay.Sobeforeyouwrapup,putthequestiontothegroup.“Whatarethemostimportantthingsweaccomplishedinourtimeheretogether?"Asthegroupresponds,capturethekeypointsonaflipchartorwhiteboardandbrieflysummarizethem.Onceyouhavealignmentonwhatshouldbecommunicatedtoothers,askeveryoneifthereareanypartsofthediscussionthattheywouldn’twanttobeshared.Someinformationmightbeconfidential;perhapssomeideasaren’tquitereadyfordissemination.Beasspecificaspossibleheresoeveryoneclearlyunderstandswhatisofflimits. Then,assoonaspossibleafterthemeeting,sendyouragreed-upontalkingpointstoeveryoneinanemail.Thegoalofthisexerciseisnottogivepeopleascripttoreadfrom.It’stoprovideguidanceonthekeymessagestheyshouldconvey,andwhattheyshouldkeeptothemselves,ifasked,sotherestoftheorganizationgetsaconsistentpictureofwhatwenton.Afterarecentstrategymeetingofthetop30executivesatamajortechnologycompany,forexample,thegroupdecidedonthesecommunicationpoints: —Thiswasnotaone-timeevent,butthebeginningofthisgroupcomingtogetherasaseniorleadershipteam. —Wetalkedaboutourstrategy,whichistobuildacollectionofgreatbusinessesinstrongcategories. —Weagreedthateachbusinessshouldfocusondrivingitsowngrowth,but,whereitmakessense,unitsandfunctionsshouldleverageeachother’sbestpracticesandcapabilities.Wecapturedsomeideasforhowtostartdoingthis,andtalkedaboutopportunitiesforleaderstogrowandtakeonnewboundary-spanningroles. Gathersessionfeedback.Especiallyifyourgroupwillmeetregularly,askattendeesforfeedbackonthesessionwhileit’sfreshintheirminds.Thisisanoft-missedopportunitytolearnbothwhatpeoplelikedandwhattheywouldchange.Insteadofaskingabroadquestionlike“Whatfeedbackdoyouhave?",whichoftenyieldsequallyvagueandunhelpfulresponses,breakthediscussionintowhatwecall“roses"(positives)and“thorns"(negatives).Startwiththelatter.Tellattendeestothinkabouteverythingtheyhavereceivedordonerelatedtothemeetingfromthetimetheywereinvitedtothereview,includinganypre-reads,pre-workandaspectsofthemeetingitself,suchaslocation,timequalityofthecoffee,etc.Thenask,“Whatcouldbeimproved?"Avoiddebatingthesuggestionsraised,butdoaskquestionstoclarifywhat’sbeingsaid.Finally,turntoroses.Askthegroup“Whatwentwell?Whatshouldwebesuretodoagaininthefuture?"Comingontopoftherecapofdecisions,nextstepsandtalkingpoints,thislastdiscussionhelpsyouendthesessiononapositivenote. BobFrischisthemanagingpartnerandCaryGreeneisapartneroftheStrategicOffsitesGroupInc.,aBoston-basedconsultancy.Bothareco-authorsofSimpleSabotage:AModernFieldManualforDetecting&RootingOutEverydayBehaviorsThatUndermineYourWorkplace(HarperOne,2015). ©2016HarvardBusinessReview.Allrightsreserved. SubscribetoMintNewsletters*Enteravalidemail*Thankyouforsubscribingtoournewsletter. Nevermissastory!StayconnectedandinformedwithMint. Download ourAppNow!! Topics mint-india-wire Close NoNetworkServerIssueInternetNotAvailableWaitforit…Logintoourwebsitetosaveyourbookmarks.It'lljusttakeamoment.Yes,ContinueWaitforit…Oops!Lookslikeyouhaveexceededthelimittobookmarktheimage.Removesometobookmarkthisimage.Yoursessionhasexpired,pleaseloginagain.Yes,Continue Congratulations!Youarenowsubscribedtoournewsletters.Incaseyoucan’tfindanyemailfromourside,pleasecheckthespamfolder. × ×EditProfileMyReadsRedeemaGiftCardLogout