17 January 2020

5 Habits That Will Ruin Your Meeting And How To Fix Them

If you work in any sort of office the likelihood is you attend meetings. Whether they are few and far between or a regular occurrence, you need to get them right otherwise they become a waste of time. Meetings can be very beneficial for team building, problem-solving and increased communication, however, if done incorrectly can damage team relationships. Instilling good habits which you carry to every meeting is important and means you can get the most out of them.

We aren’t reinventing the wheel here, simply by making a few changes to your meeting strategy, you can start benefiting from then a lot more. At Kents Hill Park we have a wealth of experience in holding offsite meetings for our clients. Our team have experienced a variety of types of meetings from different companies and businesses alike, and we can impart our knowledge to you. We’ve put together our guide on 5 habits that will ruin your meeting, and how to fix them.

Meeting issues

Most of these techniques are obvious when they are visualized but you may have slipped into bad habits and are therefore not aware of them. Pinpointing these issues helps you to understand where you are going wrong and making positive steps to change.

• Arriving Late

Regardless of the situation, arriving late should be avoided at all costs. Things like delayed trains and traffic are obviously out of your control but waking up late or making yourself an elaborate breakfast is no excuse. Always aim to arrive early so you can sit down and get yourself settled and prepped for the meeting. Coming in late can be considered rude and may distract others. If you are going to be late, always ensure you let whoever’s running the meeting know as soon as possible.

• Preparation

If it’s an impromptu meeting, there may not be anything to prepare. However, many meetings have an agenda sent out previously which you need to revise before heading in. This shows that you are invested in the meeting and will be prepared with thoughts and ideas to share. Not being prepared for a meeting is really a waste of everyone’s time so this is a vital step.

• Distractions

We are all guilty of becoming distracted sometimes but this lax in concentration can seriously impair the effectiveness of your meetings. Leave your phone at your desk and if you take your laptop in, make sure you close emails and anything else which might cause you to be distracted. Only have open the essentials for the meeting. Try and avoid eating during a meeting as this can impair the focus of yourself and others. If you must eat, avoid loud foods such as apples and noisy crisp packets. Drinking water or a cup of tea is not a problem but be mindful of what may be perceived as disrespectful when someone is talking to you.

• Not listening

When heading into a meeting, it’s vital that you are prepared to listen, and not just to the person delivering the meeting. If someone is making a contribution, give them your full attention. Making notes shows that you are focused and also gives you something to refresh your memory later. You could also share your notes afterwards with the rest of the group.

• Lack of contribution

In order to hold a successful meeting, every delegate needs to be contributing. This is a fantastic way to add value to the meeting and show your engagement. Having comments from each member of the team deepens the discussion and helps to make it more valid. Each delegate will also have a unique perspective on the topic making for improved problem-solving. If a meeting is dominated by one person, this usually shows it wasn’t successful. If you notice some delegates haven’t been included in the conversation yet, direct a question to them so they can get involved. Some people may be shy so a little push is appreciated.

Good habits

During your meetings, remember to focus on these points and make a conscious effort to push yourself into good habits. Once you repeat all these positive things, they’ll become natural to you. Effective meetings are a really crucial part of working as part of a team. They help build trust and communication between team members and can increase organisation. Just be mindful of the set up of your meeting to ensure time isn’t being wasted and everyone is benefiting from it.

Meeting spaces in Milton Keynes

If you are looking for somewhere to host your offsite meeting, we can offer you the perfect place. At Kents Hill Park, we have 70 meeting rooms in Milton Keynes, training and conference rooms which are flexible and can be tailored to you. We have the capacity to cater between 10 to 600 delegates, so no matter the size of your meeting our venue is the perfect place. Our rooms can be arranged in theatre style, U shaped, boardroom and more, so just choose whatever will fit best. With the latest in equipment, modern facilities and high-speed WIFI, our spaces will help your next meeting excel. We also have meeting catering and accommodation which you can utilise. Don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team today.

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