Meeting effectiveness can also be increased by the idea of Samosas.
This is actually an acronym used in software engineering and we have the joke that,
"If you don't like samosas,
you could go with mimosas."
However, mimosas don't work with
the acronym so we're going to stick with samosas for this one.
Samosas has a very clear meaning of how we work through a meeting.
This also applies to our interviews.
When you start an interview,
first, start it on time.
Also, have a set end time,
know when you need to end.
Relay both of these concepts to the interviewees.
We're all busy.
So, have a very clear agenda of what needs to be
covered and what needs to be accomplished during that interview.
Also, remember that it is utterly unsatisfying to end
a meeting realizing you're out of time but nothing has been decided or done.
I've been in so many meetings personally where we walk
away and at every single agenda item was,
we're going to table this to another time.
Three months later it came back again and it just kept happening.
So, make sure you are actually making progress.
In such situations, you will also have dominant people in the conversation.
Watch their facial expressions and watch
the reactions in those facial expressions of everyone in the group.
As a mediator, ensure that there is only one speaker at a time.
Don't have people talking over one another.
Also, watch not just one person takes over the conversation.
If other interviewees are nodding along and
actually interacting then, they're likely okay.
But make sure that they are still engaged in the conversation.
If they're constantly typing on their laptops or making, "Oh, my goodness,
please let me out of here," faces,
then you probably need to move things along.
Either it's not interesting to them or they just feel left out.
When you come up with your list of what you want to cover in the agenda you can also sign
questionnaires or that list of topics that you want to discuss in advance.
This will allow your interviewees to prep in advance at least a little bit.
Let them think about the big questions that you intend to discuss.
Lastly, you can send a list of what was
discussed or your overall action items to the interviewees after the meeting.
This will allow them to review how you interpreted
the material and correct errors or clarify ideas.
Another place where this helps is when
your interviewees have either thought about it more and then said,
"Oh, I wish I'd said this during this meeting.
But here's what I actually thought," or,
it can also get around the,
"This person was talking the entire time.
I didn't get to say anything,
here's what I thought."
And other situations like that.
Also, just sending out that list of responses on an individual level or on a group level,
lets you say, "Hey, I did listen,
here's what I heard,
let me know if you have any feedback."
Even if you get no response,
your interviewees will likely appreciate it.