Run More Efficient Project Meetings Through Chartering

Have you ever sat in a meeting that you thought was a waste of your time? You didn’t understand what the meeting was about (even after sitting in it!)? Repetitive information? Didn’t have the right people? Unproductive? Disorganized? Wanders off on tangents? We have all been there.

I have the solution for you!

If you have never chartered your project meetings before, hold on to your hat for a much more effective and efficient way of running project meetings! What will chartering meetings do for your project?

1. Make meetings more focused, and therefore shorter.
2. Ensure you have the right people at the table for decision making, eliminating indecision and delayed decisions.
3. Give each meeting a stated purpose, eliminating confusion about why the meeting is being held, and who should attend.
4. Limit attendance to only those that are necessary, allowing others to continue working.
5. Allows you to stick to the stated agenda of your meeting.
6. Empowers each project team member to re-direct off topic discussions to their appropriate meeting or assign a one-off meeting.

 What is chartering?

Chartering is an objective defining session where the leads from each company determine the meeting landscape for the project as well as the charter for each meeting. This includes what project meetings are needed, how long the meetings should be, the frequency of the meetings, when they will occur, the stated purpose of each meeting, and who needs to be in attendance. 

The chartering session should occur at the beginning of the project with the primary participant representation. Because these decisions are being made jointly with the participants, it is easier to get buy-in and stay on course throughout the project.

Chartering may need to happen a few times as the project moves along, as meetings become irrelevant, or new ones are added; for example, when you are changing phases on the project from design to construction, or construction to startup. There are several things to consider when chartering meetings for your project.

1. Set forth expectations for the team.

Explain the process and set expectations at the beginning of the chartering session, so everyone can see a clear picture of how it works.  Everyone is empowered to keep the meeting leader on topic.

2. Confirm you have the right people in the right meetings, and limit meeting attendance.

It is important to decide up front who needs to be in attendance for each meeting to make each one productive. You will notice I did not say who wants to be in each meeting. Ensure that the decision makers are in the right meetings and all others are listed as optional. Set a recurring day and time that works for the necessary meeting attendees, everyone else can join when they can. In most circumstances, only one or two people from each company (or division or team) need to attend any meeting. If you have more than 20 people total in the meeting, ask yourself if all the parties are necessary. The larger the meeting, the less productive it will be.

3. Have a defined meeting purpose and agenda and stick to it!

Each meeting should have a defined purpose and agenda.  The host of the meeting is the owner of this task, but all team members are empowered to keep the team from wandering down a time consuming or off topic path. Either direct the topic to its appropriate meeting if one exists or appoint someone in the meeting to set up a one-off meeting to address that item.

4. Limit meeting times and frequency.

We all have experienced death by meeting, that is why chartering includes setting the meeting landscape (which meetings we need) for the project. This helps us see the overall meeting plan for the project and can allow us to seek opportunities to combine meetings and eliminate repetitive topics.

For most meetings any more frequent than once a week is not productive, but some meetings may need to be more often. If we have too many meetings, productive work time is compromised, and our people will stop showing up or stop paying attention. Keep in mind it is important to add one-off meetings when needed as issues arise with the project, so plan accordingly.

Ensuring your team is on the same page and understands the plan for your project will result in things running more smoothly, efficiently, and most importantly, will save you time, stress, and money. One of the best compliments you can get from a client is that you and your team run effective and efficient meetings!

Ready to give it a try?

Download our free meeting charter template: https://bit.ly/meetingchartertemplate