We’ve all heard about SMART goals. Have you ever considered the concept of SMART meetings?
Leaders and managers who make their meetings SMART are showing the qualities that employees value: respect for the time, the energy and effort, the skills and the dignity of the individual; and commitment to a human-centric approach, in which the individual human being is placed front and centre.
The SMART meeting is an indicator of a human-centred workplace.
Are your meetings SMART meetings?
Here’s a quick checklist:
SMART meetings are Specific
Is the agenda clear?
Is it specifically focused on one main purpose, or topic that goes beyond dissemination of information?
They are Measurable
Have you expressed clear aims for the meeting, and outlined the ways you will know (and communicate) the meeting has achieved them?
Have you arranged for accurate minute-taking, to ensure the outcomes are recorded and acted upon?
They are Achievable
Can you address the agenda items, or discussion topics, sufficiently in the meeting?
Have you made available all the necessary human, and other, resources?
They are Relevant
Is the meeting format the right one?
Is there a need, an opportunity and adequate provision for genuine two-way communication?
Could you achieve the meeting’s purpose by email or memo, instead?
Do all the people at the meeting really need to be there?
SMART meetings are Timely
Have you scheduled the meeting at the most productive time of the day?
Is the duration of the meeting fixed and announced?
What measures are in place to prevent it going over time?
There is more detail in my learning resource The S.M.A.R.T. Meeting | It’s About Human Respect (contact me for details).
If we are just a little bit ‘smart’ before we call a meeting, we can be sure that we are putting our valuable human resources to best use.
SMART meetings demonstrate respect for the human beings in the organisation. The bonus, of course, is greater productivity. People contribute more effectively and usefully when leaders and managers show them respect and value their time and efforts. Win-win.
Do you want to know more?
Get in touch for more information on running SMART meetings (in-person and virtual), and for a ready-to-go DIY presentation to get your staff on board.
Read more about Human Skills.