Aug 02, 2022
Our team of meeting experts have come together to provide a Q&A with our most commonly asked questions. Join Leslie Teris, JD, CAE; Samantha Whitfield, MCP; Kristin Burke, CMP; and Brent Schwartz to learn the most effective meeting strategies for associations. Our skilled team tackles some of the frequent questions that have arisen at our weekly executive director meetings, specifically related to meeting effectiveness.
1. Meeting Overload: “My board has too many meetings—what do I do?”
Question: My board has so many meetings, the volume is out of control, what do I do?
Answer: If your board’s meeting volume feels unmanageable, start by identifying opportunities to consolidate. When the same individuals attend multiple meetings, combining sessions can reduce repetition and free up time.
Additional strategies include:
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Shifting more updates to email
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Reducing meeting frequency when appropriate
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Discussing meeting expectations with leadership
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Prioritizing quality over quantity
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Respecting participant time by focusing on strategic topics
A more intentional meeting schedule improves participation—and outcomes.
2. Lack of Preparation: “No one reads the materials. How do I get my committee to prepare?”
Question: My committee shows up to calls and no one has read the materials, we end up just recapping things we've done and not making decisions on how to move forward - how do I get them to prepare and stay focused?
Answer: Making sure everyone is prepared is one of the most effective meeting strategies. Encourage people to participate with action items, call on people so they start to learn they had better come prepared (social pressure), send reminders ahead of time, and communicate the importance of using these meetings as strategy sessions. It’s also a good idea to circulate a nonprofit board meeting agenda to make sure everyone knows what will be discussed so they can better prepare.
3. Too Many Internal Meetings: “Do I need to tell my team to stop scheduling them?”
Question: I feel like I have too many internal meetings, do I need to tell my team to stop scheduling them?
Answer: Small adjustments can significantly reduce meeting fatigue.
Suggest a shorter length – sometimes 15 minutes is enough!
Try not to schedule back-to-back meetings
Use tools/timelines to stay on the same page and reduce the need for meetings
Remember that pre-COVID, you may have more spontaneous meetings that would take up your day. It can sometimes seem overwhelming now that most meetings are all scheduled with many being remote.
4. Agenda Relevance: “There are no topics for me on the agenda—do I still need to attend?”
Question: There are no topics for me on the agenda, do I still need to attend?
Answer: Be considerate of all participants. If someone is not required to attend, let them know so as not to waste their time. Taking this further, consider the flow of the agenda. If certain participants are only needed for a specific part, consider putting that piece at the beginning of the agenda so they can leave after their portion.
5. Too Many Updates: “How can we keep the agenda tight but still share required updates?”
Question: How can we keep the agenda tight but still provide all required updates?
Answer: Not all information needs to be discussed live. Consider providing items “For Information Only” in advance of the meeting. This information is important to disseminate but not required on the formal agenda. This ensures meetings are focused, productive, and action-oriented.
6. Multitasking: “How do we reduce multitasking during calls?”
Question: Any strategies to help control multitasking during calls?
Answer: It is important to keep participants engaged, as you do not want to turn the meeting into a lecture. Switch up speakers, keep topics short and to the point, use different methods to relay the information, and whenever possible, have attendees participate.
Meetings are a necessary tool for organizational success, but they don’t have to be a stale process. Improving your sessions with effective meeting strategies can help you get the most of everyone’s time. DHave a topic you'd like our association experts to explore? Reach out with your questions!