Meetings. Love them or loathe them, they are an essential part of any business. If you want to make sure that your company is performing well, you need to host team meetings. For many entrepreneurs, they feel that they lack the space or resources to organize regular meetings. But, if you are keen to get growing, your company as well as your team, need to be privy to meetings.
Whether you opt for a Monday morning briefing or a Friday afternoon catch-up, meetings are an essential part of the business world. Meetings can be used for a broad range of different things. They have their own functions and agendas. Ultimately, businesses can thrive and grow with the onset of the meeting. They can be used a method of communication. They can be used to brief your loyal team. They can be used as an organisational tool. They can be used to air any issues and rectify problems. Team meetings are necessary. How you choose to conduct your meetings is your call. After all, you’re the boss.
There is a plethora of reasons why a team meeting can be of benefit to the business.
Let’s take a look:
1. Team Building
Not all meetings have to focus on projections, forecasting and project briefs. On the contrary, a meeting can be a robust means of team building with your staff. Do you run a startup with a handful of employees? Or are you the leader of a large department of a corporation? Whatever it is you are heading up, team building exercises are vital. They ensure that there is cohesion of ideas within the business world. A meeting can ensure that new members of the team are aware of the roles, responsibilities and go-to people within the company. Having a ‘team feeling’ is vital. But, it also ensures that your employees know who they are speaking to and why.
2. Motivation
Let’s face it, projects and seasonal periods can be tough. Your staff may start to feel burnt out, exhausted or feel that they are performing thankless tasks. This is your time to shine. Motivation is the key to any successful business. Using a meeting as time to inspire your employees is vital. But, you can also ensure that they feel that they are being thanked for their hard work. Now is the time to make sure that you are motivating your team of loyal employees.
3. Sharing of Information
A new project may have come in. You may have a tough client that needs dealing with. You may be coming to the close of the current project. Pencilling in time for a meeting is the perfect way of ensuring that everyone is briefed. A lack of communication can have a detrimental impact on core business operations. Giving everyone the same brief, at the same time is important. That way, if any questions do arise, you can answer them promptly, and everyone ends up on the same page. Without this sharing of information, your business could suffer. Everyone knows their role. They have goals. They can work towards them.
4. Presentation of Opportunity
Sometimes, it can be difficult to figure out who your ‘key players’ are. Meetings present opportunities to suss out your staff. Who is a player? Who wants to get ahead? Who is less than committed to your company? Finding out these opportunities can ensure that you’re promoting the right people.
5. Honing Your Leadership Skills
Anyone can be the boss. A leader, on the other hand, is something else. When it comes to making sure that you are a leader, not a manager, a meeting presents the perfect opportunity for this. Ensure that you are heading up any project. Explain your role. Then, explain what you expect from others. If they see you leading by example, and you have briefed your team on this, they will be happy to follow.
6. Creating a Feeling of ‘Closeness’ in the Office
Okay, so you don’t want to encourage inter-office relationships. But the feeling of closeness is necessary. Your employees need to feel like a team in order to succeed. According to MWB Business Exchange, a feeling of community within your venture is vital. No one wants to feel fragmented and isolated from a company that they work for. Strive to have a community feeling within your organisation. You don’t have to be best buds, but do make sure that everyone is included. It’s imperative that you do so that ideas can be shared.
7. A Break From the Norm
Whether you like it or not, the feeling of being tied to your desk can have a significant impact on morale. You need to ensure that your team are not suffering from a lack of productivity. If they are, hold a meeting. It’s time to set people free from their desks. A break from the norm can increase productivity. A daily round off or catch up can ensure that everyone knows what is expected from them. But, you also ensure that you are increasing productivity levels in the office. After all, productivity is at the heart of profitability.
8. A Space to Provide Feedback
Feedback is necessary. Not just for your team, but for you as the CEO. You need to ensure that you are creating one to one meetings with individual employees. Appraisals form part of the business experience. That way, you can work on areas of improvement but foster the areas of excellence. Of course, feedback is a two-way street. Encourage your employees to talk openly and honestly about you and the business. What do they want to see improving on? Do they need more personal feedback? Don’t let this turn into a slanging match. But, constructive feedback can help you focus on problem areas in your venture. Once you have rectified them, you will have a full complement of happy staff. Plus, you will have a bigger and better business.
9. Learning and Improvement
Opportunities for learning and development are fundamental to any company. This goes for you and your team. Now is the time to make sure that everyone is up to date and knowledgeable with your business and what you expect from them.