After a meeting ends, it can be challenging to keep your team motivated and focused on doing the agreed-upon tasks. Of course, you need to end the meeting with clear agreement on specific actions and completion dates for each item, but that’s not enough. Ask people to speak up if they realize they won’t be able to deliver on an action item. Assign someone to track and follow up on action items between meetings. And keep a running tally of which items get done, aiming for an 85% completion rate. But don’t let the tracking turn you into a taskmaster. Be compassionate and understanding if things come up and people aren’t able to meet their deadlines. But if team members continually drop the ball, have a frank and open discussion about what needs to change.
Adapted from "How to Get Your Team to Follow Through After a Meeting," by Paul Axtell
