Which one is the hardest – following meeting etiquette rules or rocket science? Sometimes it almost feels like the last one. In this post, we share eight etiquette rules that we try to live by. Read them, share them, and download the poster (perfect for your meeting rooms) and we hope your future meetings will be a little bit better!
It’s totally fine to send these rules to all your colleagues. We promise. Just do it.
1. Be on time
However simple and self-explanatory this may be, people are late for meetings all the time. It may not be intentional, but it still happens. When someone is late, everyone becomes a little stressed and less focused, and the whole meeting risks going bad. Do not be late, it is disrespectful and annoying.
2. Leave your phone on quiet and face down
If you want to have your phone with you, make sure it’s on quiet mode and put it where you don’t see it. Messages and notifications are disturbing, not only for you but for the other persons in the meeting as well. If you know beforehand that you might have to take a call, inform the others so they are aware. It’s otherwise very rude to text or answer phone calls in the middle of a meeting.
3. Introduce the meeting participants
If you are hosting a meeting and not everyone already knows each other, you need to introduce them to each other. The host should always initiate the introduction to make it less difficult for the other participants. It is common to introduce the person with the highest rank first, but this is not a rule.
4. Have an agenda
If you have a strong agenda for your meeting, the chances of it being successful is much greater. The risk is otherwise to lose track of the purpose of the meeting.
5. Don’t save your questions
If you have questions or input on a particular topic, be sure to ask when the discussion is in progress. Don’t wait until the end of the meeting. It’s better to ask questions or share your opinion when the topic is up on the table and not when the other participants are ready to finish and leave.
6. Use non-offensive language
Be mindful of how you express yourself when speaking in a meeting. You shouldn’t be using any offensive words or morally dubious expressions. If you do, you risk making the other participants uncomfortable and you also put yourself in a poor light.
7. Let everyone speak
It’s easy to become engaged and interrupt others when they’re speaking. In a meeting, it’s sometimes necessary to interrupt to make your voice heard. But it’s not polite to do it on several occasions, especially when someone is trying to make a point. Wait until it’s your turn to speak.
8. Clean up after your meeting
When the meeting is over, make sure to leave the meeting room in the same condition as it was before. If another meeting is taking place after yours, it’s disrespectful to leave dishes and crumbles behind.
Did we cover all rules, or have we missed something? Let us know what you think! If you want, you can download a poster with all rules listed and put up in your own meeting rooms. Just click “Get it now” and it’s yours!
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