Workshop Title

"Running Effective Meetings – Less Talk, More Action"

Problem

Discussions lack focus or action points.

Objective

Reduce excessive, unproductive meetings by improving meeting structure, focus, and follow-through.

Benefits

• Fewer unnecessary meetings
• Clearer agendas and stronger meeting structure
• More decisions and actions captured in real time
• Better use of team time and energy
• Higher engagement and accountability in meetings

Materials Needed

• 60 mins
• Virtual meeting platform (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
• Collaborative document (Google Docs, Miro, MURAL, etc.)
• Timer (to demonstrate time-boxing)

Process

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Facilitator sets the scene:
  “Too many meetings with little progress can drain energy and waste time. Today, we’ll explore how to run meetings that are focused, efficient, and action-driven.”
• Quick poll: “On a scale of 1-5, how productive do you find our team meetings?”
• Discussion starter: “What frustrates you the most about meetings?”
  (Capture answers in a shared document.)

2. Identifying the Problems (15 minutes)

Exercise: Meeting Fails

• Breakout rooms (3-4 people).
• Each group discusses:
  • “What makes meetings feel like a waste of time?”
  • “What’s the worst meeting you’ve ever been in, and why?”
• Groups list 3 key issues in the shared document.

Debrief

• Look for common themes (e.g., no agenda, too long, unclear outcomes).
• Highlight that unproductive meetings aren’t just an inconvenience—they slow down work.

3. Best Practices for Effective Meetings (15 minutes)

• Introduce 3 key principles for better meetings:
  1. Question if the meeting is needed – Could this be solved in a chat, email, or async update?
  2. Use a clear structure – Every meeting needs a purpose, agenda, and time limit.
  3. End with actions – Every meeting must have clear decisions and owners for next steps.
• Ask: “Which of these would make the biggest difference in our team?”

4. Practical Application (15 minutes)

Exercise: Fix the Meeting

• Facilitator provides an example of a bad meeting invite (e.g., vague topic, no agenda).
• Participants rewrite it to include:
  • A clear purpose
  • A time limit
  • Expected outcomes
• Compare responses and discuss improvements.

5. Action Plan and Close (5 minutes)

• Each person commits to one change to improve their next meeting.
• Facilitator summarises key takeaways.
• Follow-up: Suggest tracking unnecessary meetings for a month and reviewing improvements.