Living in a digital age, it’s easy to bypass face-to-face meetings in favor of emails, voice mail and other automation. For an introvert, this feels like heaven. Being able to avoid groups, small talk, and people is generally preferable, but it doesn’t make for good business. While introverts may resist the idea of meetings, they do have an important role.
The Problem with Meetings
There’s a reason meetings get a bad rap. Poorly run meetings are the bane of business. It doesn’t matter if you’re an intro or extrovert, a bad meeting is a waste of time, energy, and resources. Here’s some of the problems with meetings-
They run too long
They aren’t structured
There’s poor leadership
No action is taken
As an introvert, it may feel safer, easier, and better to forgo meetings altogether rather than deal with the hot messes that may occur. That’s simply not realistic. Well-run meetings can be an effective way to convey information, build trust, and help your team bond. The answer isn’t how to avoid meetings but how to make them better.
Keeping Things Small
Introverts do well in small groups. Hosting small scale meetings that are short and effective is an excellent way to share information and team build without the drawbacks of poorly run meetings. Here are some tips for introverts to host better meetings-
Tip: Set a time and have an agenda- Short, sweet, and effective meetings are planned ahead of time. Creating an agenda and time frames for the meeting will give the team guidance and help them stay on track. If a meeting must exceed an hour, consider breaking the meeting into two sessions on separate days.
Tip: Create structure for the meeting- Meetings can get away from leaders if there’s no structure. Introverts detest activities like ice breakers, group activities, and open agendas. Use the agenda to create a road map for the meeting and eliminate superfluous gimmicks.
Tip: Don’t let the meeting get a life of its own- As an introvert it may be appealing to let others take the reins of a meeting and do the talking. It’s important to keep control of the meeting and stay on track, on topic, and disallow others to take over.
Tip: Aim for Closure- As much as possible, avoid tabling or non-action. Be decisive, find consensus, and get to the bottom of agenda items. Whenever possible assign tasks and follow up to ensure things get done as planned. Avoid waiting until another meeting for an update.
Hosting meetings for your business may feel like the least favorite thing about your day, but you can be a highly effective leader by keeping meetings short, sweet and effective. Having the social skills to run a good meeting will help you and your business thrive.
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