New Manager’s Guide: Running Successful Team Meetings

Stepping into your first management role is thrilling, but it comes with challenges—one of which is running effective team meetings. Meetings can either be productive, driving your team forward, or they can be a time drain, leaving everyone frustrated. To help you navigate this crucial aspect of management, let’s explore the key elements that make for successful team meetings, illustrated by two contrasting scenarios.

Scenario 1: Alex’s Chaotic Meeting

Alex, a new manager at a tech startup, is eager to make an impact. However, his team meetings are chaotic. There’s no clear agenda, discussions go off track, and the meeting runs over time. Team members leave feeling confused and unmotivated.

Scenario 2: Jamie’s Structured Meeting

Jamie, another new manager, takes a different approach. She prepares a clear agenda, ensures everyone is engaged, and wraps up on time. Her meetings are productive and leave the team feeling focused and energized.

Key Elements of Successful Team Meetings

1. Clear Purpose and Agenda

Why It Matters: An agenda sets the tone and direction for the meeting, ensuring that important topics are covered efficiently.

How to Do It:

• Define the meeting’s purpose: Is it for brainstorming, decision-making, or updates?
• Share the agenda in advance so everyone knows what to expect and can prepare.

Example: Jamie emails the agenda two days before the meeting, highlighting key discussion points and desired outcomes.

2. Effective Time Management

Why It Matters: Overlong meetings drain energy and reduce focus. Keeping to the schedule shows respect for your team’s time.

How to Do It:

• Start and end on time.
• Stick to the agenda and gently steer conversations back on track if they veer off.

Example: Jamie uses a timer to ensure each agenda item is discussed within the allocated time.

3. Engagement and Participation

Why It Matters: Engaged team members are more likely to contribute valuable insights and feel invested in the meeting’s outcomes.

How to Do It:

• Ask open-ended questions and invite team members to share their thoughts.
• Rotate roles like meeting facilitator, note-taker, or timekeeper to keep everyone involved.

Example: Jamie starts the meeting with an icebreaker question to get everyone talking and comfortable.

4. Focused Discussions

Why It Matters: Tangential conversations can derail a meeting and waste time.

How to Do It:

• Use a “parking lot” to note off-topic issues for later discussion.
• Summarize key points before moving to the next agenda item.

Example: Jamie keeps a whiteboard handy to jot down unrelated topics that can be revisited at a later time.

5. Clear Action Items and Follow-Up

Why It Matters: Without clear follow-up, meetings can feel like a waste of time.

How to Do It:

• Clearly assign tasks and responsibilities with specific deadlines.
• Send a meeting summary with action items and follow up on progress in subsequent meetings.

Example: Jamie sends a detailed email recap with action items and owners within an hour after the meeting ends.

6. Positive and Inclusive Environment

Why It Matters: A supportive environment fosters open communication and mutual respect.

How to Do It:

• Set ground rules for respectful communication.
• Acknowledge and celebrate team members’ contributions and achievements.

Example: Jamie ends each meeting by acknowledging a team member’s recent success or effort.

Practical Tips for New Managers

Prepare Thoroughly:

• Review previous meeting notes, project statuses, and relevant information.
• Rehearse the meeting flow to ensure smooth facilitation.

Be Adaptable:

• Read the room and adjust your approach based on the team’s mood and energy levels.
• Be prepared to adapt the agenda if important issues arise during the meeting.

Lead by Example:

• Demonstrate active listening, punctuality, and respect.
• Show enthusiasm to energize your team.

The Gist

Effective team meetings are a blend of clear purpose, structured agendas, time management, active participation, focused discussions, and clear follow-up. As a new manager, mastering these elements will help you run productive and engaging meetings. Remember, details like these are what separate managers from leaders. For further reading, consider books like “Death by Meeting” by Patrick Lencioni and “The Surprising Science of Meetings” by Steven G. Rogelberg.

About Leader Loop: Leader Loop crafts actionable, competency-focused articles to accelerate your career growth. Our expert-written content provides practical strategies for leadership, team management, and professional development. Whether you’re a seasoned manager or an ambitious individual contributor, our articles deliver the insights you need to excel in today’s workplace.