Meetings are a gathering of two or more people who come together to accomplish what one person cannot. Meetings help create a team atmosphere and cultivate collaboration. At some point in your life, you will be asked to attend a meeting. Sometimes meetings get a bad rap, but good planning can turn all that around!
Here are some tips for attending the meeting:
- Know the expectations. Is this a one-time meeting or are you serving on a team that includes regularly scheduled meeting? Know ahead of time what the meetings look like and be committed to attending.
- Everybody is busy. Respect the leader and the others on your team and be on time. Better yet, be five minutes early. If every meeting falls at a time that is difficult for you, talk to the leader. Be flexible and be committed.
- Put away the things that will distract you and concentrate on the topic at hand.
- Be willing to compromise or at least reach a consensus. (A consensus means you may not all agree, but you’ve settled on something that everyone can support.)
- Keep things confidential.
- Submit ideas ahead of time. If you have issues you’d like to discuss or something to share, let your leader know ahead of time and be prepared to share.
- Make a plan to follow up, follow through and encourage others on the team.
Read Meetings 101, Part 1: Tips for Leading. If you’re a MOPS Leader, visit leaders.mops.org to see all of our resources created just for you. Not a Member, but want to engage? Check out MOMcon 2018 – a gathering of moms, world leaders and influencers, just like you.
