Project Management: How to Run Team Meetings

How to Run Team Meetings

Jennifer Wit presents the PCFW method for running effective project meetings:

• Prepare: Define the meeting’s purpose, who needs to attend and why, what participants should prepare, and what materials or equipment are required.
• Communicate: Send invitations and the agenda in advance, explaining when and why people should attend. Check the status of action items from previous meetings so participants know what remains to be done.
• Facilitate: Keep the meeting on time and on topic. Allocate time to agenda items, redirect attempts to hijack the discussion, and put off-topic but potentially important issues in a parking lot for follow-up. If a question will be addressed later, acknowledge it and ask the person to “hold that thought.”
• Wrap up: Confirm action items, owners, due dates, and next steps, including upcoming meetings or decisions.

Practical Takeaway

A meeting leader should make clear why each person is present, guide the discussion using a defined agenda, and ensure attendees leave knowing what they are responsible for next.

Metrics and Timelines

No performance metrics or targets are provided. Wit notes that even a 20- or 30-minute status meeting can run much longer without effective facilitation.

Presenter and Source

Jennifer Wit, Director of ProjectManager.com. The video was published by ProjectManager.