3 Common Meeting Mistakes and how to avoid them. By Barbara Nixon http://www.barbaranixon.co.uk

1. 3 common meetings mistakes and
how to avoid them
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2. Can you relate to this?
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 Constantly going from one meeting to the next
 Meetings with no clear agenda, purpose or
direction
 Not being given the opportunity to speak in the
meeting
 No time to prepare before-hand
 No clear action points
YES?

3. If so, I’m going to save you time by
sharing 3 common mistakes that are
made in meetings…and what to do
about them.
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4. Meetings Mistake #1
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 The wrong people attend
Ever invited the people that you think need to be
attend, just because they need to be aware of
what’s going on rather than being the best people
to contribute?

5. What to do instead
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 Ask each department who should attend
Send the agenda out to the stakeholders and ask
the question whether they are the right people to
attend, or whether a member of their team can
attend on their behalf. If they choose to delegate
the meeting, explain that you can keep them on the
meeting mailing list so that they’re kept up to date.

6. Meetings Mistake #2
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 No-one has a clue why they’re there!
Ever been to a meeting that seems to take place
just for the sake of it? It’s a waste of time, effort,
and resources. There is no clear purpose or
direction, and if there is one, it certainly hasn’t been
communicated.

7. What to do instead
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 Always ask yourself “Why do we need this
meeting?”
Every meeting should have a clear purpose;
direction and agenda. To save time all hand-outs
and further information should be sent out prior to
the meeting to give everyone an opportunity to
prepare.

8. Meetings Mistake #3
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 No-one sticks to the Agenda
Instead of working through the agenda methodically
and keeping to time, the attendees go off piste and
digress. This doesn’t achieve anything the meeting
was intended for.

9. What to do instead
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 Have a Chairperson and a Time-Keeper
A good Chairperson will ensure that all agenda
items are covered, and will keep discussions on
track. A Time-Keeper will ensure that all agenda
items stick to the allotted time so that the meeting
doesn’t over-run and is productive.

10. Claim your Free E-Book
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