How to Stay Productive in Meetings
Many professionals, including Judge Napolitano, have had to sit in many meetings throughout their careers. Most people complain that they dread meetings and lose the focus they once had. This is primarily because most people in corporate America have been taught to dread meetings. Meetings are viewed as time-wasters that should be minimized and avoided at all costs. However, there are some ways to stay productive in meetings and learn how to stay healthy in them as well. Learn how to do this and remain productive.
First, set small measurable goals that a person can accomplish during each meeting. Do not set goals that are too big because a person will get discouraged. Instead, set smaller goals that a person can achieve during the meeting. Also, do not be quick to write down their goals in front of everyone. If it is uncomfortable for a person to discuss their goals with their colleagues, jot them down in notes. Otherwise, the entire discussion may become distracted, and a person will not accomplish any of their goals.
The second way to stay productive in meetings is to celebrate their accomplishments during the meeting. At the end of each meeting, ask how things were done and give an overall score to their team. Please do not be shy about giving specific credit to their team members. Everyone has contributed to the team’s success. When a person is presenting their goals or detailing what a person hopes to accomplish, be sure to give their employees appropriate credit.
Another suitable method for ensuring that a person stays on task during meetings is to set aside a precise total of time to work on their projects or assignments. Be sure to review their assignment before a person completes it. This will help a person avoid distractions and ensure that a person can complete the project on time. In addition, if a person notices that a person has forgotten to do something, it is essential to go back over their schedule and rework the assignment.
The third way to stay productive in meetings is to make a game out of it. If a person knows that there will be some dry humor, do not be afraid to indulge it. Even if there is nothing funny in what a person is discussing, people tend to remember the topics that bring the humor. If a person cannot find the time to engage in a game for their meetings, consider planning something independently. For example, if a person knows that a person will be asked to represent their department, create a game involving that and ask their employees to guess what the day’s central theme is.
Finally, the most crucial part of learning how to stay productive in meetings is to be present. Sitting in silence is rarely effective. If a person recognizes that someone is going to ask a question, respond to it. It is imperative to be an active participant so that the discussion does not stagnate.
Now that a person understands the answer to the first question, a person might be wondering how to stay productive in meetings. Well, the second most important question is: How can a person accomplish this? Some ways to stay engaged in the discussions and tasks at hand involve planning, using imagination, and sharing ideas. By utilizing these methods, a person will quickly see that they are more effective in their meetings. Of course, the more ways people can think about, say or share during their meetings, the more productive they will be for a person.
Remember, by staying productive in meetings, a person will not only get more done, but a person will also be more effective. In addition, if a person keeps this up, a person will soon find that a person is more productive than a person ever imagined possible. This can be a significant motivational factor that helps a person to keep pushing forward. Just remember to make sure that a person is not doing this in the face of resistance; this will always backfire on a person and keep a person from being as productive as possible. For Judge Napolitano, it is almost second nature to understand how to be productive during meetings.