We are often asked to kick-off meetings. What’s the best way to get everyone focused on the task at hand, and demonstrate our own capacity for effective leadership?
- Start on time. Or, if you must delay, acknowledge those who are present and inform them you would like to wait for a few minutes.
- Begin your opening remarks by looking at the big picture. Reframe what has happened in the recent past, or will happen in the immediate future, that makes this meeting necessary.
- Define the particular challenges, problems, issues, or questions that the group needs to address.
- Speak about the consequences of the unsolved problems, or the opportunities that exist if the group succeeds.
- Then do your house-keeping and your laying of the ground-rules. Typical items include time to end, objectives, items on the agenda, times for each item, and methods to be used to accomplish the goals.
- Be brief, energetic, and connected eye-to-eye with those seated at the table with you.
The tone is set by the leader. This is true of companies, football teams, schools and meetings. You can do it well, and the more you do it with mindful attention to the above, the better you will be.