Whether they’re between managers and employees, production managers and crews, or salespeople and clients, remodeling companies need meetings. A well-run meeting can solve problems, enhance communication, and find new workflow efficiencies, but a meeting can also hinder productivity and waste precious time if not properly organized. With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of tips from REMODELING articles and other sources that will help keep your meetings on topic and on time. Share your meeting tips, too, to help us round out the list.

Tips From REMODELING:

  • Meet daily: Increase communication and efficiency by holding daily meetings where people share their task list and discuss any issues they anticipate may affect those tasks.
  • Run like clockwork: Start the meeting on time every time and end on time so everyone attending knows that when the meeting will end and can schedule their day accordingly.
  • Stand up: Meetings don’t have to be a sit-down affair. Having attendees stand during meetings—such as the daily meeting—keeps them attentive and alert.
  • Have an agenda: The most productive meetings are well organized and use an agenda to structure the meeting and keep track of what topics have and have not been discussed. Setting a time limit for each agenda item helps keep things moving.
  • Take notes: Record any action items decided during the meeting and use a “parking lot”—a running list of things still to be addressed.
  • Involve attendees: Keep people attentive during the meeting by assigning them a part of the meeting to plan.
  • Make it fun: Use activities such as quizzes or opportunities to earn perks as a way to keep meetings entertaining and fun.

More Tips From Around the Web:

  • Stay on track: Improperly planned meetings can cut into productivity time for both you and attendees. Make sure you stick to the schedule.
  • Maintain focus: Beware of attendees who may derail meetings either intentionally or unintentionally with conversations. Make sure you quickly bring the conversation back to the proper topic before it veers too far off course.