Team meetings seem so self-explanatory, right? As a member of the team, you may not realize the work that the leader had to put into that meeting to make it a success! In order to use your team’s time effectively (remember that you’re paying them to be there!) you need to prepare for these meetings. Today, we’ll start with the basics, like what even is a team meeting? Then we will go into the reasons why you should actually have team meetings and how to hold them effectively.

What is a team meeting?

A team meeting is one of the most basic meetings that an organization can have, but also one of the most important. Bringing the team together gives you the chance to share status updates, solve issues that have come up, brainstorm ideas to overcome challenges, and build camaraderie within the team. Having another perspective when thinking through a problem can help get it solved that much faster, and you can sometimes come to a better solution than you would have reached on your own.

Why have a team meeting?

As I mentioned above, team meetings have a variety of benefits. Most of them support the idea that you are stronger, and can go farther, together. The team is stronger than the individual. From problem solving, to encouragement, to just getting to know each other, a team meeting can help the team function better when they are confronted with issues later. Clarity is also a big reason to have team meetings. When the team is clear on their roles and responsibilities, the work done after that is more effective and easily defined.

How do you run an effective team meeting?

So how do you actually run an effective team meeting? I’m glad you asked! Start by identifying the purpose and the goal of the meeting. Why are you pulling the team together, and what do you hope to accomplish? Put this in the meeting description for the attendees to read. Next, make sure the agenda supports the goal of the meeting. If an activity or discussion is too far off-topic, the meeting will quickly become too much information for folks to handle, and clarity is lost. Keep it simple, and remember the goal. Lastly, give your team a heads up on what to expect. If you want this to be a recurring meeting, it is helpful to get some buy in before you ask them to come every week or month. Be sure to encourage them and make it a space they can feel comfortable sharing and working together. 

In Summary

Now, you can go into leading your next team meeting with confidence, knowing that you will have something prepared to make the meeting effective. Start with the purpose and the goal, inspire your team to strive for excellence, and encourage them! I have no doubt that you will see improvement in your teamwork and camaraderie through this process of regular and effective team meetings.