Not every project leader is a big fan of running meetings. In fact, a lot of them find this to be the worst part of the role by a long way. Of course, if you dread every project meeting then it will have a negative effect on the entire piece of work.
There is no need to settle for drab, pointless meetings that suck the life out of your projects, though. You can get better meetings on your PRINCE2 projects just by sticking to a few points each time.
Set a Clear Agenda
Have you ever started a meeting with no clear agenda in place? If you have then there is a good chance that it ended badly. A good agenda is vital for making sure that your meeting stays on track.
There is no need for this to be a long or complicated document. It simply needs to set out what points are going to be covered and by whom. It should only take you a few minutes to produce it before the meeting.
Having said that, it makes sense to put some thought into this in advance. What areas do you want to cover in order to update your stakeholders? Don’t forget that communication is an important part of the overall PRINCE2 methodology.
Send Out Minutes and Action Points
What should you do once the meeting is over? There are sure to be plenty of other tasks that need your attention. So you might be tempted to swiftly forget all about what went on in the meeting room.
The problem with doing this is that you might lose the momentum that can be gained from a successful project meeting. If you don’t let everyone see what was discussed then they can easily forget what was agreed and what needs to be done next.
By writing down the actions points and then distributing them, you let everyone know exactly what needs to happen next and who it is that needs to get it done. This can come in extremely useful later on in the case of disputes.
Get Your Team Involved
It can be boring for everyone concerned when one person dominates every meeting by talking all the time. Generally, it is much better if the agenda is split up so that different team members each get the chance to explain what they have been doing.
This is also a clever way of giving your team more responsibility and seeing how they handle it. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking out at meetings but it is something that they need to get used to as their career progresses.
When you have a team member who is progressing well and has completed their PRINCE2 London then this is a sensible next step in their development that will also take some of the pressure off your shoulders at the same time.
Understand Your Expectations
The last point is around a matter that it is far too easy to overlook. Do you go into meetings without really thinking about what you should be looking to get from it?
This is a big mistake, as you run the risk of missing out some of the main benefits that should be achieved in a PRINCE2 meeting. Bearing this in mind, you should set aside some moments to consider what exactly you hope to get out of this get-together.
Is it simply a chance to give a project update? Or do you need to try and reach agreement on a sticking point that has been holding you back? There are numerous objectives you could set for a meeting and it is vital that you choose them wisely.