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master meeting leadership

As the saying goes, “The proof is in the pudding.” If you want to be a successful leader during meetings, it’s important that you take the time to prepare beforehand. This means being familiar with the material, knowing who will be in attendance, and having a clear leadership meeting agenda. It also means being able to answer any questions that may come up.

Leadership team meetings are an excellent opportunity to show your team that you’re invested in the company’s success. By being an active participant and taking the time to prepare, you’re sending a strong message that you’re committed to your management team and the organization.

If you’re completely new to the world of leadership, it’s normal to feel a little bit anxious about leading your first meeting. Only 10% of people are natural leaders, according to research. So don’t worry if you don’t feel like a natural-born leader. With a little bit of practice, you’ll be leading meetings like a pro in no time.

This comprehensive guide will outline all the necessary steps to take in order to be an effective leader during meetings, from preparing beforehand to following up afterward. Let’s get started

What Is a Leadership Team Meeting?

leadership in meetings

A leadership team meeting is a gathering of a company’s leadership team to discuss strategy and important topics related to the organization. The purpose of these meetings is to make strategic decisions, give direction, and provide updates on the company’s progress.

During leadership or executive team meetings, the team will typically review current projects and initiatives, brainstorm new ideas, and identify any issues or concerns that need to be addressed. The meeting may also include updates from each team member on their area of responsibility.

The goal of an effective leadership team meeting is to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same objectives. These meetings provide an opportunity for leaders to give guidance and feedback and to make sure that everyone is aligned with the company’s goals.

The Importance of Leadership Team Meetings

Leadership or executive team meetings are crucial for the success of any business. They provide an opportunity for a company’s leaders to come together and discuss the issues that matter most to the organization. By having a weekly leadership team meeting, senior leaders can make sure that everyone is on the same page and that everyone knows what needs to be done in order to achieve success.

There are many reasons why leadership or executive team meetings are so important.

First, they give company leaders the chance to share their vision for the organization. This is important because it allows everyone to be on the same page and work together towards a common goal.

Second, leadership meetings provide an opportunity for leaders to get feedback from their team members. This is important because it allows company leaders to see what is working well and what needs to be improved.

Third, effective leadership team meetings allow leaders to develop relationships with their team members. This is important because it allows company leaders to build trust and respect with their team members.

Lastly, leadership team meetings allow leaders to make strategic decisions about the direction of the company. This is important because it allows leaders to set the tone for the organization and make sure that everyone is moving in the right direction.

Overall, leadership team meetings are extremely important for the success of any business. They allow leaders to share their vision, get feedback, develop relationships, and make key decisions. If you’re a leader, you must take the time to attend these meetings on a regular basis.

A Step By Step Guide To Running Successful Leadership Meetings

Now that we’ve gone over the importance of leadership team meetings, let’s take a look at how to run a successful meeting.

Step One: Define the Purpose

The first step in running a successful leadership team meeting is to define the purpose. This is important because it will help you stay focused and ensure that everyone knows what the meeting is for. By clearly defining the purpose, you can avoid wasting valuable time and keep the meeting on track.

When defining the purpose, it’s important to be as specific as possible. For example, rather than saying “to discuss the company’s progress,” you might say “to review the company’s sales figures for the past quarter.” This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the meeting stays focused.

There are many different ways to define the purpose of a leadership team meeting, but here are a few examples:

  • To review the company’s progress in the past month
  • To brainstorm new ideas for the company that will potentially help increase sales
  • To identify any issues or concerns that leadership team members have been noticing in the organization
  • To give leaders the chance to provide feedback and guidance to their team members
  • To update each leadership team member on their area of responsibility

When defining the purpose of your meeting, be sure to make it clear and concise. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what to expect from the meeting.

Step Two: Set the Agenda

The second step in running a successful leadership team meeting is to set the leadership meeting agenda. This is important because it will help you stay focused and ensure that everyone knows what will be covered during the meeting. By setting the meeting agenda in advance, you can avoid wasting valuable time and make sure that you have effective meetings.

There are many different ways to set the agenda for a leadership team meeting. For example, you may want to start by brainstorming a list of topics that need to be discussed. Alternatively, you may want to send out a meeting agenda in advance so that everyone knows what will be covered.

If setting an agenda from scratch feels daunting, tools like yowork can help. yowork offers a variety of ready-made agenda templates for different types of meetings. Their agenda health check can also help you to assess how effective your agenda is and identify any improvements that could be made.

When setting the leadership meeting agenda, it’s important to make sure that everyone has a chance to speak. This will help ensure that everyone is heard and that all concerns are addressed. It’s also important to make sure that the meeting agenda is realistic and achievable. This will help ensure that the meeting stays on track and doesn’t go off-topic.

It’s also important to share the agenda with all meeting participants in advance. By sharing the leadership meeting agenda in advance, you can ensure that everyone is prepared for the meeting and knows what to expect.

Step Three: Prepare an Effective Presentation

An effective presentation is one that is well-organized, clear, and concise. It should be designed to engage the audience and deliver the desired message. There are many different types of presentations, but not all of them will be effective for every situation. It’s essential to choose the right type of presentation for your needs.

One of the most important aspects of an effective presentation is its organization. A well-organized presentation will flow smoothly and be easy for the audience to follow.

It’s important to start with an introduction that will grab the audience’s attention and give them an overview of what you’ll be discussing. Then, you’ll want to present your main points in a logical order. Finally, you’ll want to conclude with a summary of your main points and a call to action.

Another critical aspect of an effective presentation is clarity. Your presentation should be clear and easy for the audience to understand. This means using simple language and avoiding jargon. It also means using visual aids effectively to support your points.

Finally, your presentation should be concise and to the point. This doesn’t mean it has to be short, but it should quickly get to the point and avoid unnecessary details.

Step Four: Delegate Responsibilities

As a leader, it’s important to delegate responsibilities to your leadership team members. This will help ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal and that tasks are completed efficiently.

There are many different ways to delegate responsibilities. For example, you may want to assign specific tasks to specific management team members. Alternatively, you may want to create teams and assign each team a specific task.

Whichever method you choose, it’s important to make sure that everyone understands their role and is clear on what they need to do. You may also want to provide support and guidance as needed.

Delegating responsibilities can be an effective way to motivate leadership team members and help them to feel more invested in the project. It can also help ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and on time.

When delegating responsibilities, it’s important to consider the skills and experience of each team member. You’ll also want to consider the workload and make sure that everyone is comfortable with the amount of work they’re taking on.

Finally, remember that you can always delegate responsibility for tasks you don’t have time for or don’t feel comfortable doing yourself. By delegating these tasks, you can focus on more important aspects of the project.

Step Five: Keep the Meeting On Track

One of the most important aspects of any leadership meeting is making sure that it remains on track. This means setting a clear meeting agenda and sticking to it while also keeping things moving along at a brisk pace. There are a few key ways to do this:

  • Start and End on Time: One of the simplest ways to keep a leadership meeting on track is to start and end on time. This ensures that everyone is aware of the schedule and that everyone has an equal amount of time to speak. It can be frustrating for meeting participants if a meeting runs over, so make sure to stick to the schedule as closely as possible.
  • Keep Things Moving: A good way to keep a meeting moving along is by having regular check-ins throughout the session. This can be done by having someone lead the discussion and asking for updates from each participant or simply asking for brief responses to questions instead of long monologues.
  • Be Prepared: Another way to keep a leadership meeting on track is to be prepared. This means having a clear agenda and knowing what you want to discuss beforehand. It also means being familiar with the material you’ll be presenting and being prepared to answer any questions that may come up.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your leadership meetings are productive and remain on track. This will help you get the most out of each meeting and ensure that everyone’s valuable time is used effectively.

master leadership in meetings

Tips To Run Effective Leadership Meetings

The steps outlined above are a great starting point for running effective leadership meetings. However, there are a few additional tips that you can keep in mind to help ensure that your meetings are as successful as possible:

1. Review Goals and Key Metrics

As a leader, it’s important to regularly review goals and key metrics with your leadership team. This will help ensure that everyone is on track and that you’re making progress towards your goals. There are a few different ways to review goals and key metrics:

One way is to simply go over the goals and key metrics for the project during your weekly leadership team meeting. This will help keep everyone up-to-date on your progress and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Another way to review goals and key metrics is to create a dashboard or spreadsheet that everyone can access. This can be updated on a weekly basis and will allow everyone to track their progress over time.

Finally, you may also want to consider creating a presentation or report that you can share with your leadership team on a regular basis. This can be an effective way to visually see your progress and ensure that everyone is aware of your successes and achievements.

Reviewing goals and key metrics is an important part of any leadership role. By doing this regularly, you can ensure that everyone is aware of your progress and that you’re working towards your goals effectively.

2. Talk About Challenges and Roadblocks

Another important aspect of leadership meetings is talking about challenges and roadblocks. This ensures that everyone is aware of any problems you’re facing and can help brainstorm solutions. It’s also an excellent way to build morale and keep everyone on their toes.

You can discuss challenges and roadblocks in many ways. One way is to go around the room and have each person share one challenge that they’re facing. Alternatively, you can open up the floor for discussion and allow people to share any challenges that they’re experiencing.

Regardless of how you choose to do it, it’s important that you create an open and safe environment for people to share their challenges. This will help build trust and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

3. Be Strategic About The Meeting Date and Time

You read that right – being strategic about the leadership meeting date and time can actually help improve your leadership meetings’ effectiveness. This is because you need to be mindful of everyone’s schedule and ensure that the meeting doesn’t conflict with other important deadlines or tasks.

According to a study by YouCanBookMe, the ideal day and time to hold a meeting is Tuesday at 2:30 pm. This may not be possible for every leadership team, but it’s something to keep in mind when scheduling your next leadership team meeting.

You should also avoid holding meetings too close to lunch or at the end of the day. This is because people are more likely to be tired and less engaged. If you need to hold a meeting during these times, make sure to keep it short and sweet.

Fridays should be an absolute no-go when it comes to scheduling meetings. This is because people are more likely to be thinking about the weekend and less likely to be engaged in the meeting. If you absolutely must hold a meeting on a Friday, make sure to keep it short and focused.

4. Encourage Participation From Everyone

Another important tip for running an effective leadership meeting is to encourage participation from everyone. This means that you should actively solicit input and feedback from all leadership team members.

One way to do this is to start each leadership meeting with an icebreaker or a question that everyone has to answer. This will help get people talking and engaged in the meeting. You can also use a tool like brainstorming to generate ideas from everyone.

It’s also important that you create an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up. This means that you should avoid talking over people or interrupting them. Instead, encourage people to share their thoughts and ideas.

5. Highlight Company Wins and Achievements

Who said leadership meetings had to be all serious business? One of the best ways to build morale and keep everyone engaged is to highlight company wins and achievements. This is a great way to show your team that you’re doing your job well and that you’re making progress.

Did you land a big client? Close a huge deal? Ship a new product? Whatever the achievement may be, make sure to give your leadership team the credit they deserve. Celebrate their successes with them and let them know that you’re proud of their hard work.

Research shows that happy employees are 13% more productive, so it’s in your best interest to keep your team happy and engaged. Highlighting company wins is a great way to do that.

6. Say Goodbye To Slide Decks

Are you still using PowerPoint or Keynote for your leadership meetings? If so, it’s time to say goodbye to those slide decks, or at least cut down on their use.

Instead of using slides, try using a whiteboard or flipchart to encourage more interaction and discussion. You can also use post-it notes to brainstorm ideas or map out processes.

Efficiency is key when it comes to a successful leadership meeting. The last thing you want is for people to be bored or unengaged. Ditch the slides and try something new to keep people interested.

The bottom line is that you should use whatever tools will help make your meetings more interactive and engaging. Slides are often a crutch that people rely on, but they’re not always the best way to communicate information.

7. Fill Out Operation Memos

Your leadership team meeting should focus more on strategy than operations. That being said, you should still have a brief update on operations to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

This is where operation memos come in. These memos should be short and to the point. They should highlight any important changes or updates that need to be made.

If there are no major changes or updates to report, then you can skip this part of the meeting. However, if there are significant changes that need to be made, then make sure to fill out an operation memo so that everyone is aware of the situation.

8. Take Action Items From The Meeting

Once the leadership team meeting is over, it’s important to take action items from the meeting. This means that you should assign tasks and deadlines to people based on the discussion that took place.

This is a great way to ensure that things actually get done and that your meeting was productive. Without action items, it’s easy for people to forget what was discussed and nothing will get done.

Some examples of action items that you can take from an effective leadership meeting include:

  • Research a new market within the next month
  • Create a prototype for a new product by the end of the quarter
  • Implement a new pricing strategy within the next two weeks
  • Update the website by the end of the month
  • Train new employees with the new onboarding process by the end of the week

These are just a few examples, but you get the idea. Make sure to assign action items to specific people and set deadlines for when those items need to be completed. This will help keep everyone on track and ensure that your meeting was productive.

9. Eliminate Distractions

Did you know that 50% of employees reported being distracted by their phones when working on something important?

It’s no surprise that phones can be a major distraction during meetings. After all, people are used to checking their phones every few minutes.

To combat this, you should eliminate distractions from your leadership meetings. This means that everyone should put their phones away and focus on the discussion at hand.

You can also try to limit the number of side conversations that are taking place. If people are talking about unrelated topics, it will be difficult for them to focus on the discussion at hand.

The bottom line is that you should do whatever you can to eliminate distractions from your leadership meetings. This will help ensure that everyone is focused and engaged in the discussion.

10. Ask For Feedback

After the leadership team meeting is over, it’s important to ask for feedback. This will help you improve the meetings and make sure that they’re meeting the needs of everyone involved.

After all, you don’t know whether or not the leadership team meeting was successful unless you ask. Leadership meetings are a great opportunity to get feedback from your team.

Asking for feedback shows that you’re open to criticism and that you want to improve the meetings. It also allows you to get different perspectives on the meeting and what could be improved.

When asking for feedback, make sure to be specific. Ask questions like:

  • What did you think of the leadership team meeting?
  • Was the meeting agenda clear?
  • Were all of the topics covered?
  • Was there anything that we didn’t discuss that you wish we had?
  • How can we make the meetings more effective?
  • Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve the meetings

The importance of asking for feedback cannot be understated. It’s the only way to ensure that your leadership team meetings are successful and effective. By asking for feedback, you’re showing that you’re committed to improving the meetings and making them work for everyone involved.

How To Take Minutes During a Leadership Meeting

When it comes to a leadership team, taking minutes is essential. Minutes are a written record of what was discussed and decided during the meeting. They help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that nothing is forgotten.

Taking minutes can be a daunting task, but it’s important to make sure that they’re done correctly. Here’s how to take minutes during a leadership team meeting:

  1. Write down the date, time, and location of the meeting. This information should be at the top of the minutes.
  2. Write down the names of everyone who is in attendance.
  3. Write down the agenda for the meeting. This will help keep everyone on track and ensure that all of the topics are covered.
  4. Take note of any important discussion points. These can be anything from key decisions that were made to important topics that were discussed.
  5. Write down any action items that were assigned during the meeting. Be sure to include who is responsible for each action item and when it is due.
  6. Write down the date and time of the next leadership team meeting. This will help everyone know when the next leadership team meeting is and prepare for it.
  7. Distribute the minutes to everyone who was in attendance. This will ensure that everyone has a copy of the minutes and can reference them later.

Taking minutes may seem like a lot of work, but it’s essential for a leadership team meeting. Minutes help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that nothing is forgotten. By taking minutes, you can make sure that your leadership meetings are effective and productive.

meeting minutes

Common Mistakes In Leadership Team Meetings

Before we wrap up, let’s take a look at some common mistakes that people make in leadership team meetings:

  • Not Having a Meeting Agenda: As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to have a meeting agenda for your leadership team meeting. Without an agenda, it will be difficult to keep the meeting on track and ensure that all of the topics are covered.
  • Rushing Through the Agenda: Once you have a meeting agenda, it’s important to stick to it. Don’t try to rush through the meeting just so you can check items off of the list. Take the time to discuss each item thoroughly.
  • Not Allowing for Open Discussion: One of the benefits of having a senior leadership team is that you can bounce ideas off each other. If you’re not allowing employees to talk openly, then you’re not getting the full value of the team.
  • Not Encouraging Participation: It’s important to encourage everyone on the team to participate in the discussion. If people feel like they’re not being heard, they’ll likely tune out and won’t be as engaged in the meeting.
  • Failing to Follow Up: After the leadership team meeting, it’s important to follow up with each team member. This can be done via email, phone, or even in person. Thank them for their input and let them know what action items were decided on.

While these mistakes may seem minor, they can quickly add up and cause your leadership meetings to become less effective. By avoiding these mistakes, you’ll be able to ensure that your meetings are productive and valuable for everyone involved.

Conclusion

A leadership team meeting is not something that should be taken lightly. It’s important to ensure that the meeting is productive and valuable for everyone involved. By following the tips we’ve outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to having successful leadership meetings. Thanks for reading!


all images Pixabay

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