Effective Steps to Enhance Productivity in Project Status Meetings

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The project manager (PM) is faced with two challenges in this scenario: poor attendance and a dominating subject matter expert (SME). To make the meetings more productive, the PM should take the following steps:

1. Facilitate the meetings by adhering to the agenda: The PM should make sure that the meetings are well-structured and stick to the agenda. The agenda should be sent to all team members prior to the meeting and reviewed at the beginning of the meeting. By adhering to the agenda, the meetings will be more focused and efficient, which should encourage better attendance and engagement from all team members.

2. Encourage interaction among team members during the meetings: The PM should encourage all team members to participate and share their input during the meetings. This can be done by asking specific team members for their opinions, creating opportunities for brainstorming, and encouraging active listening. By fostering a collaborative environment, the SME will be less likely to dominate the conversation, and other team members will feel more valued and engaged.

Additional steps that could also be taken include:

3. Ensure meeting minutes are accurately recorded: The PM should ensure that accurate minutes are recorded and distributed to all team members after each meeting. This will ensure that everyone is informed of any decisions or action items that were discussed during the meeting and can help to hold team members accountable.

4. Adjust the number of meetings: The PM should evaluate whether the frequency of the meetings is appropriate. If attendance is poor, it may be necessary to schedule meetings less frequently to ensure that team members are able to attend. Conversely, if attendance is good but the meetings are not productive, the PM may need to schedule more frequent meetings to increase accountability and engagement.

5. Change the number of action items: The PM should evaluate the number of action items that are being assigned during the meetings. If there are too many action items, team members may become overwhelmed and less likely to complete them. Conversely, if there are too few action items, team members may not be challenged enough. The PM should strike a balance and ensure that action items are realistic and achievable.

6. Schedule impromptu meetings when the SME is absent: If the SME is dominating the meetings, the PM may need to schedule impromptu meetings when the SME is absent to encourage other team members to contribute. This can also help to ensure that the meetings are productive and that all team members feel valued and engaged.