The importance of team meetings

Meeting are one of the most used social tools across the human history. In any company, the team meetings must be productive, inclusive, and collaborative. And trust me, it is a true challenge to accomplish it.

The meetings are the space where the collaborators gather, share ideas, feedback and learn from each other. Also, the meetings have a terrible reputation with people inside the company. If your company has meetings just for the sake of having them, then you are waisting valued time of everybody involved and the company's as well. But, if you make every meeting count, then your teams will improve their delivery value and achieve their goals faster and better.

Here is a list of 7 benefits of effective meetings in your company.

Builds Stronger Relationships

It’s easier to build teamwork with personal interaction. When there’s a free-flowing exchange of ideas and you can see and hear your teammate’s thoughts personally, you get to establish a deeper bond with your team. Effective team meetings help you create this strong bond. A strong team dynamic is vital to work success and productivity. Nothing beats a physical team meeting to improve employee engagement and maintain a good working relationship. But if you must meet remotely via a conference call, opt to use video so you can still see your teammates’ expressions and establish a deeper connection with them.

Establishes Alignment

While it’s true that some meetings are better off discussed in an email, some topics require face-to-face discussion. Effective team meetings allow teams to discuss complex issues and talk through ideas and solutions. When discussing a project matters with a lot of variables involved, it’s easier and faster to do so in a meeting. Effective team meetings enable teams to get on the same page quickly than emails will ever do.

Helps Make Better and Faster Decisions

An effective team meeting is essential to issue resolution and brainstorming. If you’re a team manager, it’s easier to make better decisions when you have enough information on key matters that affect your team. Most of the time, it’s your team members who will have more visibility and knowledge on these matters. Having a team meeting with them will help you get those information faster and come up with a sound decision that’s beneficial for everyone involved.

Promotes Inclusion

Effective meetings also promote inclusion. It becomes an avenue for them to freely express their thoughts and ideas. They know that they can share their inputs and they are heard loud and clear. Culture plays a vital role here. When you have an encouraging and inclusive culture in place, you get to create an environment that’s supportive and productive for everyone.

Facilitates Creative Thinking and Innovation

Ever get that feeling of satisfaction after a team meeting because of all the “AHA!” moments you and your team experienced? Effective team meetings allow employees to showcase critical thinking, creativity, and ingenuity. You can come up with a good idea alone. But think of the possibility of creating even better ideas when you and your team work together.

A Medium for Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Effective team meetings are a great channel for feedback and continuous improvement. Feedback is given instantaneously and this open communication allows your team members to grow professionally. Team meetings are a great way to learn more about working with your team and how you can continuously improve. A team retrospective is a good example of such a meeting. It provides teams to examine what’s going well for them and what they can improve on.

Improves Employee Engagement

When team members feel that their inputs are solicited and considered, it helps them value their job more. It also motivates them to contribute to the improvement of the team and the organization as a whole. This sense of belonging solidifies their place in the organization and helps them appreciate their work. When you have high employee engagement, expect more productive employees and better overall results for your business.

Whenever you and your team use meetings in its full potential, the results will come faster, the communications will be more agile and the moral will improve. A team that communicates is a team that grows together.

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