Episode 125 - The Three Stages in Any Meeting

<div class="entry-content e-content"> <div id="item-61f86c18be2fab5cc209afad" class= "sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1643670625935"> <div class="row sqs-row"> <div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12"> <div id="block-770b4a5789b76b6cd793" class= "sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2"> <div class="sqs-block-content"> <h2><strong>SUMMARY</strong></h2> <p class="">Sat through a bad meeting recently? There are three stages we need to get right in any meeting to make it effective.</p> <p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true"> </p> <h2><strong>TRANSCRIPT</strong></h2> <p class="">Welcome to episode 125 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we are exploring how to make meetings more effective by concentrating on three stages.</p> <p class="">When people complain about meetings, it’s usually about how they are run rather than the meeting itself. Ineffective meetings often end up leading to even more meetings. Being able to plan and run an effective meeting is a core skill for any leader. Recognising the three key stages in any meeting can make a huge difference. </p> <p class="">Every meeting should have three clear stages - opening, exploring, and closing. As I describe these stages, think about any that you are already great at, and any that you tend to overlook. </p> <p class="">Let’s start with the opening stage. Here we are clarifying why we are here. What’s the purpose of this meeting? What’s the range across which we are working? What freedom and authority do we have? What are the expectations for those attending? This stage opens up the discussion by laying out the playing field. Wherever possible, the purpose and structure of the meeting should be shared with participants beforehand. Everyone should know why they are there and how they can contribute. </p> <p class="">Next comes the exploring stage. Here we are staying within the range we have established, but being