How to Run Really Great Project Status Meeting? -

How many hours in a day do you, as a project manager, simply hop from one meeting to the next? It’s as if there’s little time to do anything productive before the next one.

And, if that’s not bad enough, how many of your project meetings are truly worthwhile? Too often, these meetings can be inefficient and ineffective. Team members view them as a waste of precious time that could be better spent doing “the actual work.” This bad vibe can go beyond the meeting, negatively impacting morale, performance and team spirit.

Because you as a Project Manager spend so much time in project meetings and because they have such a vital role to play in successful project, that it is pertinent for you to master the art of running great status meetings. In this article we will look at some practical tips in running effective project status meetings.

Setting the Agenda: A well-prepared meeting is a successful meeting

Believe it or not, the agenda sets the foundation for everything that follows in a meeting. So, let’s talk about why a well-prepared agenda is so important and how to create one that keeps everyone on track.

Why Agenda Matters?

Imagine walking into a meeting where everyone is sitting around, unsure of what will be discussed or how long it will take. Frustrating, right? That’s why having a thoughtfully crafted agenda is essential.

A well-run status meeting begins with an informative agenda. This includes a brief description of the items to cover, the time allocated for each item and who will be involved in the discussion. If a key decision is expected, or some other key outcome is desired, include it on the agenda.

Choosing the agenda items is important, as it informs attendees what will and will not be addressed, which allows them to prepare and actively engage in the meeting. Selecting the time spent on each item is also valuable because it gives everyone an idea of the expected discussion length and helps gauge if the meeting is staying on track.

Sometimes the project manager will be the leader of the entire meeting, but there are cases when certain topics are best covered by others. Naming a point-person for each item will help everyone prepare better.

How to Create an Effective Agenda:

Start with the clear objective: Define the purpose of the meeting. What do you aim to achieve? What are the desired outcomes?
Identify Key discussion points: Once you have the objective in place, brainstorm the main topics that need to be addressed. These could be status updates, decisions to be made, or brainstorming sessions on risk mitigation plan.
Estimate time for each item: Time management is crucial in any meeting. Estimate how much time you’ll need for each agenda item and allocate it accordingly.
Prioritize and sequence:If you have a lot to discuss, it’s important to prioritize the most critical items. Start with the most important topics and then move on to the less pressing ones.
Include supporting materials:If any documents, reports, or presentations need to be reviewed before the status meeting, attach them to the agenda. This allows attendees to come prepared and have a better understanding of the topics to be discussed.
Communicate the agenda in advance:Once you’ve prepared the agenda, share it with the meeting participants ahead of time. This gives everyone an opportunity to review it, come prepared with their inputs, and understand what to expect.

What should a Status Meeting Cover?

To start, the project manager should note all people in attendance, all missing and anyone attending as a proxy on behalf of another attendee. Status Meetings should cover several key areas as listed below:

Review Open Items from Previous Meeting: Begin by reviewing the action items assigned in the previous meeting that remain unresolved. Also inform the team about the items that have been closed, as these do not require lengthy discussion in the meeting.
Discuss Issues and Variance: The core of a status meeting should focus onissues and variances. This addresses current work falling outside of acceptable tolerances versus the plan and requires team input to resolve or agree on a course of action.
Look Back-Look Forward Review: Discuss where the project currently stands, what has been accomplished since the last meeting, and what needs to be done moving forward. The focus here is not on future milestones or tasks that are proceeding according to plan. This is about items that are several weeks out but may need attentionbeforethey become issues or variances.
Discuss the Risk Status: This is another very important agenda point, though it will most likely be ignored in the status meeting. What is a status of current risks, are the current risk responses are effective or if they need to be updated?
Action Items: Finally, your status meeting must establishaction items. These are any items that require follow up after the meeting along with an owner and a date for resolution or update

Your meeting could start with a Problem Statement. Do you want some practical tips in writing effective Problem Statement. check out my article here.

How often should status meetings be held?

A project manager should be able to report up-to-date information to project sponsors and clients at any time, so status meetings should be conducted regularly. How often depends on several factors, including project complexity; size of the team; and the level of information required by project sponsors, client and others. The frequency of status meeting is largely depend on these two factors:

Project Complexity: More complex projects may require more frequent status meetings to ensure all aspects are closely monitored and managed.
Team Size and Distribution: Larger teams or teams distributed across multiple locations may need more frequent meetings to ensure effective communication and coordination.

How to Boost Team Engagement in Status Meetings?

Engaged team members not only contribute their ideas and expertise but also feel valued and motivated. So, let’s dive in and discover some effective strategies to boost engagement in your meetings.

Make everyone feel comfortable

Make everyone feel comfortable and encourage open communication. Start the meeting by acknowledging each participant and setting the tone for a collaborative discussion. Ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak and actively listen to their contributions.

Facilitate interactive discussion

Passive meetings where one person does all the talking can quickly become dull and disengaging. Instead, aim for interactive discussions that encourage participation from the entire team. Ask open-ended questions, seek input from different perspectives, and encourage brainstorming.

Assign relevant responsibilities

Give team members specific responsibilities during the meeting to keep them engaged and accountable. This could involve leading a discussion, presenting a report, or taking meeting minutes.

Incorporate visual aids

Visual aids, such as slides, charts, or diagrams, can help to convey information more engagingly and memorably. Incorporate relevant visuals into your presentation to support your points and keep the team visually stimulated.

Set ground rules for participation

Establishing ground rules for participation can create a safe and respectful space for all team members to express their thoughts. Set expectations around active listening, respectful debate, and keeping discussions on track.

Maximizing Meeting Impact

A well-executed meeting is only the beginning – what happens after the meeting is just as crucial. By following up appropriately, you can ensure that the meeting outcomes are implemented, tasks are completed, and momentum is maintained.

Send the meeting Action Items

After the meeting, promptly send out a meeting recap email or document that summarizes the key discussion points, decisions made, and action items assigned. This allows participants to review and confirm their understanding of the outcomes.

Assign Task Ownership and Deadlines

Clearly assign tasks to appropriate team members with deadlines and expectations. This helps to ensure accountability and progress towards meeting objectives. Be specific about what needs to be done, who is responsible, and when it should be completed.

Schedule Progress check-ins

For projects or tasks that require more time or involve multiple steps, schedule progress check-ins to ensure everything is on track. These could be short follow-up meetings, email updates, or quick status reports.

Limit the number of attendees

Only invite individuals who are directly relevant to the meeting objectives. Keeping the list of attendees focused ensures that the discussion remains on point and reduces the risk of unnecessary tangents. If someone does not need to be present for the entire meeting, consider inviting them for specific agenda items or providing them with summary notes afterward.

Don’t get sidetracked

One of the biggest challenges that project managers face during status meetings is staying focused on the key issues. Everyone seems to have a “soap box” issue that they love to discuss in detail, whether it’s on the agenda or not. These tangents steal critical time and can cause meetings to go late and off-track.

Project managers can try a few simple techniques to help maintain focus during their status meetings:

Ask someone on the team to point out when the discussion is veering off topic
Question whether the issue raised can be taken offline
Use a timer to “time box” discussions about issues not on the agenda (but the team agrees should be discussed)
Redirect the issue to the parking lot
Develop ground rules for keeping the group on topic

A “Parking Lot” is a technique used in status meetings to manage and organize ideas, topics, or issues that arise but are not directly related to the current agenda. It serves as a temporary storage place for these off-topic items, ensuring they are acknowledged without derailing the meeting’s focus.

Enter off topic discussion points in Parking Lot

Are you Facilitating or Leading a Meeting?

Most project managers feel comfortable leading a meeting, but leading a meeting differs from facilitating it.

The meeting leader is primarily concerned with the “what” of the meeting, focusing on the content, objectives, and outcomes.

The facilitator focuses on the “how,” ensuring that the meeting process runs smoothly and that participants are engaged and productive.

While project managers can designate someone as a facilitator, they often need to wear both hats. In either case, there are specific facilitation tasks that project managers can perform or delegate to optimize a status meeting. These include:

Keeping track of time
Alerting the team if discussion gets off topic
Documenting action items
Developing a parking lot
Asking questions of those not contributing to the discussion
Playing devil’s advocate if no one in the group is questioning

Summary

Status meetings are how project leaders keep their fingers on the pulse of the project. They are where team members and stakeholders raise, address and resolve issues. They are an indispensable tool in project management. But they can also waste time and frustrate project participants if they aren’t conducted with purpose and structure.

By utilizing the strategies discussed in this article, you can ensure that your meetings are purposeful, engaging, and highly efficient.

Further Resources

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