In the property management industry, meetings are a necessary evil. But, let’s face it. They can be pretty brutal. If your meetings aren’t producing the kind of positive, collaborative results you’re after and seem more like a waste of time than anything else, not only could it be impacting employee morale, but it could be damaging your bottom line. The good news is, you probably just need to shake things up a bit. Here are five ways to do so below.
Prepare thoroughly in advance.
If there’s anyone who represents successful entrepreneurship, it’s Elon Musk. One thing his former colleagues and employees agree on about him is that he demanded thorough preparation before any meeting. By planning in advance, you’ll know what you want to cover and you’ll be able to stay on topic, optimizing the time being spent and actually achieving results.
Keep meeting size small.
The most engaging meetings are the ones in which everyone in attendance has the opportunity to contribute. Anything above this and you’re not making the most use of your time together. If your property management team is large, consider breaking meetings down into smaller groups. Not sure what size is most effective? Try Jeff Bezos’ two pizza rule. If there are more people than two pizzas could feed, it’s too many.
Play around with your agendas.
For some teams, a casual meeting agenda is most effective. Others do better with a more rigid schedule. Still others operate more effectively with a hybrid approach that starts with a strict list of items to cover and then, if time allows, ends on a more relaxed, unscripted note. Don’t be afraid to try different formats with your property management team to see what works best.
Change meeting lengths.
Just as some teams respond better to different agenda styles, some people react better to longer versus shorter meetings. And really, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. For instance, the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, believes meetings with his leadership team must last at least four hours in order to be effective. Meanwhile, Yahoo! CEO, Marissa Mayer holds around 70 micro meetings (5-10 minutes in length) each week to keep everyone focused and solution-oriented. The culture in your property management company should dictate where your team falls in the spectrum.
Designate a decision-maker.
One of the biggest reasons meetings go off the rails is that everyone is trying to hammer down decisions on their own. Rather than endlessly ping-ponging this duty around the room, try appointing one person as the main decision-maker who will be responsible for reaching a conclusion and determining the path forward. This can keep things on track, cut down on the back and forth and keep things moving along in an efficient manner.
Your employees are your property management company’s most valuable asset. Don’t waste their time with boring, meaningless meetings. Provide a clear goal and agenda in advance so they can prepare accordingly. Stay focused during the meeting and set specific “next steps” before concluding. And, of course, don’t be afraid to experiment with different meeting styles. It’ll pay off in the long run.
