UXL Blog

Picture yourself leading (another) Zoom meeting. You’re meeting with your usual team, and you have a rough agenda, but soon things get derailed. Someone mentions that their kids have been sick, and soon everyone’s sharing stories of family illness. This topics leads to a conversation about company policies and sick leave, which then leads to a chat about upcoming vacations. By the time you get back on track, you’ve lost your main point and everyone seems unfocused and unexcited to talk about work-related topics. You’ve lost any initial momentum your meeting had.

If this scenario sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. “Meeting drift” is a common issue during meetings—virtual or otherwise—and can be extremely frustrating and counterproductive.

To help combat meeting drift, try following these five tips:

Stick to the Agenda.

Ensure that your agenda is concise and that everyone is familiar with it before the meeting starts. Before every meeting, take a few minutes to review the agenda with your team. Make sure everyone understands the topics up for discussion and the intended outcomes of the meeting. During the meeting, gently remind your team of the agenda and try to stay on-topic by summarizing each point before moving on

Start with a Brief Check-In

If your team is distracted by personal issues, their focus is more likely to drift during meetings. Kick off your meeting with a simple check-in question such as, “Julia, what did you do for fun this past weekend?” Or, “Will anyone be out of the office this week?” Make sure to limit the check-in time to 2-3 minutes, otherwise this can lead to an entirely new conversation.

Rotate Meeting Leads

Enlist help to keep the meeting on track by rotating the leadership role. This can help ensure everyone is engaged and can keep the conversation moving. When someone else is leading the meeting, you’ll be better able to recognize when the conversation is straying off-topic

Be Mindful of the Time

It’s easy to forget how long you’ve been talking when everyone is sharing their favorite vacation spot, and you find yourself reminiscing about your last beach trip. Set an alarm for yourself (or a timer for everyone) to keep your meeting on track and on time.

Encourage Participants to Take Notes

Writing notes by hand has a number of benefits, including better retention of the material being discussed and improved focus. Encourage your team to take notes every time you meet. As an added incentive, you might even gift each team member a quality notebook and pen at the beginning of the year (or quarter).

The key to avoiding meeting drift is to stay on top of it and be mindful of your team’s focus. By sticking to an agenda, providing brief check-ins, rotating meeting leads, staying conscious of the time, and encouraging participants to take notes, you’ll be able to ensure that meetings stay productive and meaningful.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 

HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.

Tags: avoid meeting drift, margaret smith career coach, margaret smith leadership, prevent drift during workplace meetings, prevent drift during Zoom meetings, stay focused during Zoom meetings