Are Your Team Meetings Effective? Take This Short Evaluation

Many work teams need to meet frequently to assess progress and stay on course. The team leader is instrumental in making these meetings effective. But even the best teams can get sidetracked in meetings without strong team leadership.

Here’s an evaluation to take (and share with your team) to find out just how effective your team meetings really are. Rate yourself from 1 to 5, with “1” meaning you strongly disagree and “5” indicating you strongly agree.

1. The purpose of our team meetings is well-defined
2. An agenda is circulated at least 72 hours before the meetings
3. Handouts related to agenda items are circulated at least 72 hours before the meeting
4. Team meetings start and end on time
5. Participation by team members is strongly encouraged
6. Team members voluntarily present ideas and disclose information that can help the team solve problems and make decisions
7. There is broad participation in discussion rather than a few team members dominating discussion
8. The team stays focused on the discussion at hand rather than digressing to other subjects
9. Team meetings have few interruptions
10. The team leader or other team members routinely summarize discussion at the conclusion of an agenda topic
11. The team allocates the meeting time well for each agenda item
12. The team leader and team members arrive at meetings well prepared
13. Lengthy, boring presentations are kept to a minimum
14. The team effectively resolves conflicts in a timely manner
15. Negative attitudes are dealt with quickly and are not a major problem
16. The meeting room is prepared for audiovisual needs
17. The meeting room is comfortable, with adequate lighting and temperature control
18. Side chatter and unsolicited small group discussions are controlled
19. A meeting summary of important actions and accountabilities is distributed to team members within 48 hours of the meeting
20. The team has fun

Now, add up your points.

Evaluation results:

81 – 100: Your team has excellent, productive meetings.

61 – 80: The team has good meetings but needs to focus a little more on a few key areas.

41 – 60: The team likely has a difficult time getting through and following up on meetings. The team leader and selected team members need to brainstorm and make recommendations for improvement.

40 or below:  Team meetings are probably ineffective. Problems aren’t being solved and decisions aren’t being made. The team leader and selected team members need to start now to make recommendations for overhauling team meetings.