Most people have a love-hate relationship with meetings. If you’re an extroverted person, then the opportunity to share your opinions on a particular subject is like winning the lottery for the day. On the other hand, if you’re more introverted, speaking up in a room filled with people might seem like a nightmare.
The business world got a shock when the pandemic hit, and everything had to happen online. That was a strong blow for face-to-face meetings, which was the way in which the corporate world was imagined. After a while, everyone got used to being online, and now the shift back to the office is leaving people confused. Follow this link for more info https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/14/opinions/parents-weaponize-school-board-meetings-wolfe/index.html
The main thing that’s bothering everyone is whether these procedures are actually necessary. And, if they’re necessary, should they happen online, in-person, or a combination of both? In order to answer that, we’re going to take a look at both the advantages and the disadvantages of meetings, having them be formal, informal, in-person, or virtual.
What are the benefits?
First of all, the main advantage of having conversations where everyone is present in the democratic process. Every action gets decided on by everyone, and you can’t blame anyone else for the outcome. Since that’s the case, this calls for increased collaboration and engagement.
If the whole process is well-run, then this gives an equal opportunity to everyone to engage and contribute. The manager or the leader should always focus on asking the right questions and leading the conversation. Every member of the group needs to be heard and needs to know that their opinions are valued. Click on this link to read more.
In startups, this is the main way in which businesses come up with ideas. Everyone gets together with a whiteboard in place, and they start brainstorming. That leads to innovative solutions and fresh ideas, which boosts morale and motivation. If you’re the manager, then creating a questions list will encourage a better discussion. If there are people that don’t talk as much as the others, politely ask them to share their thoughts.
A boost of accountability
Competent managers and leaders are needed to create an atmosphere where everyone feels valued just for participating. If the environment is set, then everyone will think that it’s easy to take on new projects. The more projects you can handle, the more influence and worth the entire meeting are going to have.
Let’s look at an example. You need to take on a new task, and you need to commit to it. In the first case, the news is delivered to you in an email. In the second case, the manager comes up to you and tells you that you have a new objective, and you agree to finish it.
In the third case, there’s a meeting where everyone is involved, you’re explicitly aware of the importance of the new task, and then the manager asks you whether you want to commit to it. The biggest motivator will definitely be the last option since the entire team depends on you.
The same thing is true in all of the other cases scrum meetings, but you don’t feel like it matters as much. If you say yes in front of your group, then you’ll be driven to finish your portion of the task. Then, in a week, when the same scenario is repeated again, you’ll have to share your findings, as well as the completed actions.
This is the biggest promoter of personal responsibility. That’s why, if you’re the leader or the manager, you need to summarize the tasks and their due dates at the end of each meeting. Just to make sure, follow that up with an email on the following day to ensure that everyone’s on the same page.
The same mission
Inviting everyone for a conversation without telling them what it’s about will definitely cause some confusion. Not all employees think in the same way as you, and that might stir up conflict or anxiety. For that reason, it’s best to declare the purpose of each meeting and give everyone an agenda about what they need to be prepared for.
Good leaders always stick to the plan, and that’s why you should have a clear list of objectives. When everyone is on the same page and knows the importance of the conversation, they’re going to want to contribute.
This sets a common goal that raises energy both before and after the activity. The air of motivation can still be felt throughout the working day if you’ve had a great conversation. That raises morale and makes everyone focus more on their individual actions. If you feel like the conversation is going off-topic, remain calm and shift it back to the goals and objectives.
Possibility for personal development
In order to be productive during a meeting, each participant needs to have an opportunity to learn new skills. At the moment, soft skills are something that everyone struggles with. Becoming an effective communicator is something that will always be helpful.
When everyone can learn from the leader, this will increase productivity and create a safe space where people can try something new. Someone might want to volunteer to take on a challenging task with the help of a senior employee.
Everyone will be on the same page in the case that person succeeds or fails. Having a positive attitude will bring the entire team together and allow chances to study new abilities in a specific field. For that reason, it’s important to pair younger employees with team members that have more experience.
This will provide them with a tougher challenge which will force them to learn new abilities. That’s how individuals with more experience will rub off on the less experienced in a friendly and productive environment.
A few final words
These are not the only benefits when it comes to having conversations as a team. However, this proves that there are several advantages. Staying true to the process will improve participation, cooperation, and personal growth. The most important thing is learning and refining skills through training and practice.