The Best Way to End a Virtual Meeting
Three Effective Ways to End Meetings
Presiding over any company meeting is no easy task. It needs a thoughtful agenda that focuses on a particular topic, has the necessary stakeholders, and a strong opening to get everyone’s attention. Most people view the starting point as the single and most important part besides the actual meeting agendas. This is how “most” people think if they were to preside over a meeting; however, what people don’t know is that “How to End a Meeting” is also of equal importance as the start of a meeting.
According to Bruna Martinuzzi, founder of Clarion Enterprises Ltd., “Many meetings fail to achieve objectives because the person running the meeting didn’t plan the end properly.” As such, “most people” should start learning how to get their employees out of the meeting with a good ending.
Here are three different ways to end a meeting:
Everyone knows that meetings are essential, but sometimes, they’re just dull/a waste of time for some attendees. Thus, ending a meeting by mentioning the positive contributions of each member shows you listened, heard, and appreciated their input. Highlighting contributions from attendees will help your team stay motivated and want to contribute at your next meeting.
Five minutes before the meeting is scheduled to end, briefly highlight the next steps for each agenda item discussed, their responsibility, and the due date. This ensures all items get remembered and then executed in the future.
#3: Dragging It on
One of the most common mistakes during a meeting is not respecting the predetermined end time. It is frustrating to those stakeholders who now have less time to focus on their own workload. Having the meetings run longer than the scheduled time will negatively affect the attendees’ attitudes toward you and the project. People appreciate those who respect their time, and don’t ever hesitate to end a meeting early if possible.
Without a proper ending to your meeting, attendees could leave thinking, “that was a waste of my time!” Having a solid start is beneficial but finishing it with a fitting ending is ideal for everyone and the business. Start applying the various ways to end your meeting to increase its effectiveness.
