As much as it is important to plan and conduct meetings well both in person and remotely, it is so essential to close them with an adequate series of actions that recap decisions and events but most of all clearly define the follow up steps. Too often I see organisations where everything is based on non written communication and the result is simply to forget about things, accountability and decisions.
For what “old fashioned” may appear, a closing report of the meeting is fundamental. Let’s clarify that we are not talking about a purely bureaucratic script aimed at discharging responsibility. It is , instead, an operational document that serves as a guide and allows you as meeting leader to be in control of the situation next time without forgetting anything.
So what are the elements to keep in mind after a meeting and which must be collected in a shared document?
Let’s see them together:
- Agreement is difficult to reach, requires some support. What agreements have been made: be sure to represent all the positions and that the text represents the actual agreement, without cheats or tricks. An agreement must represent a common position and a point of arrival, not an easy ploy to defend one’s position: the clearer you are the better will be
- Accountable equals having traction. Who does what? Who is in charge of the actions and when are they due? According to what plan of development? The creation of this plan is not mandatory but strongly recommended because it greatly facilitates the synergistic management of activities. Crafting a plan requires time, so be sure to use it wisely; on the opposite side if you don’t do it you have to be sure that you keep under control resources usage and timing
- Learning from experience leads to a better team work. Is there anything you can share about the way to improve the meeting Reflecting on how the things were approached, what adjustments need to be made for future meetings? The meeting itself is a moment of growth for the team where it is important to find adequate common mechanisms such as a “tailored suit” that maximise results and operating methods
- What’s next? Identify what must happen with the pending activities: over time, if problems are being left unaddressed, particularly if we’re talking about virtual-only relationships with no physical contact, can begin to erode trust in the meeting management process and its follow-up. Make sure you are in agreement as a group on what needs to happen next, what you are unable to address and what needs to be escalated.
- Plan regularly, plan in time. Planning your next meeting can be tricky, plan ahead so that all the necessary participants can be present
