How To Run A Meeting Like A Pro

Meetings are an unavoidable part of the professional world and college life. Most of the time meetings can be somewhat productive, others drag on with uninspired talk and few conclusions reached.    

The key to having more productive meetings lies in careful planning and some guidelines. This can make or break your meeting.

1. Ban all electronic devices from note taking. Apart from the person keeping minutes, no one should have a screen to hide behind. All too often I see someone in a meeting with his or her phone hidden under the desk checking some e-mail or Instagram post that just couldn’t wait. Warn the group to keep their phones away and provide pen and paper when needed. The less distractions the better the productivity of the meeting. 
2. Plan the meeting with actionable steps in mind. All too often people leave meeting thinking they just wasted an hour of their life or thinking that they could of just handled this group project over e-mail which leads to miscommunication and missed deadlines. Ensure that everyone in the meeting has something to do as a result of the meeting and recount what was done at the end of the meeting. 
3. Keep an eye on the clock. Keep track of how much time is spent on one subject at a time. Having time constraints creates a sense of urgency and purpose to the meeting. Keep moving. Start on time and end on time. 
4. Have a solid to-do list and make it visible for all in the room. Keep the agenda short and if you can’t come up with any solid decisions that need to be made, cancel the meeting.
5. Reoccurring meetings should be short and highly structured to avoid the “business as usual” atmosphere. No meeting should be exactly the same.   
6. Write up the minutes of the meetings and e-mail out action items. Appoint someone to keep track of who’s responsible for doing what and by when. This helps people understand that the end of the meeting signals the start of taking action.

These tips are great for a traditional boardroom meeting. If you’re feeling bold, hold a walking meeting to a park or an open and quiet space. This can be a good way to bring energy to an important discussion.

All and all, keep organized and always have purpose to any meeting you attend or host.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Nathan Wilson

The Unspoken Rules to Surviving the Semester

My brother started his freshman year of college this August. Being his older sister, I have always felt the need to look out and protect my brother. I do not want him to feel completely overwhelmed with work in a new place with total strangers. I thought about what I wished somebody had told me before starting freshmen year. I realized I wish someone had told me how to plan and manage my work. After some thinking, I came up with three tips I wish I had figured out before starting my freshman year.

1.   Look Ahead: Prior planning is key to minimizing stress. Each week, figure out what you have going on. Go through your syllabus and record in a planner readings or assignments due that week. Indicate due dates in red. List your weekly meetings in the calendar and daily agenda sections of the planner. After that, determine what times you can complete work. Have an hour to kill in between class and PRSSA? Plan to bring your laptop to campus and get homework done. Being aware of your upcoming schedule will prevent surprises and missed deadlines.

 
2.     Develop an Action Plan for Papers- When assigned a paper, give yourself a cushion of time to complete it. Plan what to accomplish each day. For example, plan to create the thesis on Sunday; outline your paper on Monday; write the intro and first paragraph on Tuesday; write the second and third paragraphs on Wednesday and Thursday; write the conclusion Friday; and edit the paper on Saturday. Doing a little bit each day will create the sense that you are in control of the situation. Making gradual progress also leaves room in case an issue occurs.
 
3.     Stay On Top of Readings- Lets be honest, nobody likes to read textbooks. To keep the pain minimal, know when the readings are due. Need to read a thirty-page chapter in the next three days? Plan to read ten pages a day. Doing this will make it seem much more manageable than cramming. If you leave it all for one night, chances are you may not complete the reading at all.

Although I am sure my brother does not feel the need to listen to his older sister, I hope he finds these tips helpful as he navigates his way through his piles of work. What tips to you have to help manage your course work?

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lauren Bentley.

Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance

“Prior planning prevents poor performance” is what one of my high school teachers told me in class one day about three years ago. This quote was drilled into my head and has been in the back of my mind ever since. I never truly understood the importance of what he was telling me until college. I live by these 5 P’s because they have yet to let me down. With planning, I have succeeded in everything I’ve put my mind to because I took the time to think of the steps that were needed to get the outcome I desired. Without the practice of planning, life would be disorganized and difficult. 

Not sure how to plan? Here are a few tips that may help!

1. Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve- In order to plan something, you need to know exactly what you want to accomplish in order to take the correct steps to make it happen.
2. Visualize your goal- This is the most simple, yet most beneficial thing you can do. Just by closing your eyes and picturing yourself reaching your goal, will help you get to it. This small exercise will provide you with the self-confidence and motivation you need because you “see” yourself reaching your goal. 
3. Map out, or make a list of what needs to happen- Lists are essential in planning. Simple daily, or weekly, “to do” lists will help you stay organized and on track. Just remember, always jot ideas down when they come to you!
4. Be specific- Break down the steps you need to take so there is no confusion and so you have a clear understanding of what you need to do. Every detail makes a difference.
5. Always remember deadlines! - People make deadlines for a reason…for you to meet them! It might be helpful to even put deadlines next to each step of your plan to make it even more structured. 

Making a plan is the most effective way to achieve a goal. Yes, it takes time to plan something but it will be extremely beneficial, and you will thank yourself in the long run. It is important to stay positive and always keep in mind what you want to happen. Keeping your goal in mind will give you motivation and that extra push to get to what you want. Believe me, if you don’t stop when the plan gets tough, keep focused, and have your “eye on the prize,” you’ll see progress! 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations Staff Member Amanda White.