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Based on nearly 200 scientific studies of workplace meetings, a team of psychologists provides recommendations to make the most of the meetings before they start, as they take place and after the end of the meetings. . Their report is published in Current Directions in Psychological Sciences, review of the Association for Psychological Science.
Meetings are an almost ubiquitous aspect of today's workplace. Trade has great wisdom and written guidelines on how meetings should be conducted. But, as researchers Joseph Mroz and Joseph Allen (University of Nebraska Omaha), Dana Verhoeven and Marissa Shuffler (Clemson University) point out, very few of these tips are based on available scientific data.
"Meetings are generally bad, but science shows us that there are concrete ways to improve them," says Allen. "Leaders can be more organized, start at the right time and encourage a secure sharing environment. Participants can come prepared, be at the moment and participate. "
Science shows that, under the right circumstances, meetings can provide a place for creative thinking, problem solving, discussion and idea generation. Yet, a great deal of research done by employees suggests that most meetings are ineffective despite the organizational resources devoted to them, including time, salaries, intellectual resources and technology.
Improving meetings is not easy. According to research findings, employees spend an average of 6 hours a week in a meeting and managers spend an average of 23 hours there. Studies suggest that employee attitudes toward meetings may affect their general attitudes towards work and their well-being.
In their report, Mroz, Allen, Verhoeven and Shuffler highlight the ingredients of a good meeting, including how people can prepare for the success of a meeting, how certain aspects of the meeting can be decisive or decisive, and what's going on after a meeting can improve the results of the team.
Before the meeting
- Assess current needs: Meetings should involve problem solving, decision making, or substantive discussion. They should not be required to share routine or non-urgent information.
- Circulate an agenda: Having an agenda clarifies the priorities of the meeting for all stakeholders and allows participants to prepare in advance.
- Invite the right people: Leaders should ask what is the purpose of the meeting and what expertise can help the team achieve it.
During the meeting
- Encourage the contributionThe results suggest that high-level artists use meetings to set goals, help the group understand work-related issues, and seek feedback.
- Make room for humorHumor and laughter can stimulate positive meeting behaviors, encourage participation, and solve problems creatively, according to research. These positive behaviors at meetings predict team performance simultaneously and two years later.
- Redirect complainingParticipants should be aware that complaining can quickly lead to feelings of futility and hopelessness, and leaders should avoid complaining as quickly as possible.
- Keep focused discussions: The leaders also ensure that the purpose of the meeting and the agenda are followed. Leaders must be prepared to identify dysfunctional behaviors and intervene to refocus the meeting.
After the meeting
- Share minutes: The minutes of the meetings are sent to record the decisions that have been made, an action plan for the next steps and an overview of the roles and responsibilities specified. This step also concerns people who were unable to attend the meeting but need information.
- Look for commentsComments can inform the structure and content of future meetings. In particular, managers can identify meeting problems to increase participant satisfaction.
- Watch in front: To build on the progress made during the meeting, stakeholders need to think about future actions, follow-up, and the immediate and long-term outcomes of the meeting.
Mroz, Allen, Verhoeven and Shuffler note that video, audio and motion tracking technologies allow for better video and audio analysis of meetings. These improvements could help researchers analyze behaviors rather than attitudes and self-reports after the fact. They point out that "teleconferences" and videoconferences require further study because they can present their own dynamics, benefits or challenges.
This material is based in part on work supported by the Greenville Health System and the National Science Foundation (NSF, CAREER Award No. 165054 to Dr. L. Shuffler, Principal Investigator).
Source:
Association for Psychological Science. .
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