3 Critical Ways to Rescue a Project Meeting

Well, you thought you had done everything right. You set the agenda, you figured out who should be present, you sent everything out to prospective attendees, and they accepted the invitation. The project meeting began but you lost control…all because of that one person who sent the meeting off-track.

Here are three ways that project post mortems suggest you can rescue the situation:

1. Reiterate the meeting’s purpose at the beginning. Don’t assume the agenda was carefully read and digested. Confirm at the outset what you intend to cover and ask if that is what others understand. If there is confusion or misunderstanding, deal with it upfront.
2. Guide the discussion. Before you shift from one topic to another, ask if attendees have anything to add or clarify. Document and re-confirm all decisions.  Then move on to the next issue.
3. Find out what the “off-track” person is thinking. Are the topics related in a way you did not consider? Is there a connection you missed? Ask for the team’s opinion on whether or not this is something to discuss now or in the future.