One of the most common complaints I receive about meetings is that attendees come unprepared. A lot of time is then wasted getting them up to speed. Here are some ways to address this challenge:
- Make sure the purpose of the meeting is clear and communicated ahead of time.
- Consider having a sub-group meet ahead of time to identify what needs to be done to prepare and perhaps distribute responsibility for doing it.
- Give someone responsibility to take time at the beginning of the meeting to brief the group on the task, the background, and what the desired outcome is.
- Contact key people ahead of the meeting to be sure they have done the reading or preparation required to get value from the meeting.