Did you know that Dutch people spend an average of 6.5 hours in meetings per week? And the higher your position, the more meetings you experience. That's fine, of course, as long as these meetings actually deliver something. But that is often not the case. How can you do better? Especially some of the most important meetings during the year: the quarterly meetings. The time when the annual goals are measured and recalibrated.
In this blog, we take a closer look at quarterly meetings. We explain why you need them and how to prepare and follow up properly. We also give ideas for talking points.
A quarterly meeting: what is it?
For basically all organizations and teams, quarterly meetings are very important. Four times a year you look back and forward with your team. What have we accomplished and what are we going to tackle in the next 13 weeks? The quarterly meeting is a kind of clean slate. After all, every quarter can be the best quarter ever.
A quarterly meeting is different from a regular Monday morning meeting. You need an agenda that encourages everyone to think: discuss what went well, address challenges, and think together about new ideas. Make sure everyone is prepared and ready for an open and honest discussion. After all, it is an important strategic session for the future of your company. Also read: Effective meetings, that's how you do it!
How long does a quarterly meeting last?
The ideal meeting lasts no longer than an hour. After that, people often begin to wander off, unless you take a break and provide energizing snacks. Many weekly meetings are scheduled an hour by default, because this is pretty much the norm. But have you noticed that meetings then often last exactly that hour, when sometimes you can be done in 15 minutes?
A quarterly meeting is different from a standard meeting. You take the time to both look back on the past three months and look ahead to the period ahead. These meetings often last longer than an hour because you go over everything thoroughly. To keep everyone focused, you schedule short breaks and make sure there is enough energy in the facilitation and catering. It's not for nothing that the most booked meeting rooms at KW9 are often combined with a catering package. Closing the quarterly meeting with a joint drink or private dinner is also among the options. We are happy to coordinate everything so that your team can get the most out of the meeting. Everything is possible!
A good approach is to determine in advance how long you want to talk about each agenda item. It is not a tragedy if you then run a minute late, but that should not happen structurally. And, of course, having meetings outside also has an impact. Because your body has to process all these new environmental stimuli, your senses are put on edge. This gets blood flowing to your brain and thus improves your ability to concentrate. That's how you get better and faster results at KW9 than if you're always sitting under the same system ceiling.
Who is the quarterly meeting for and what does it cost?
Managers, team members and sometimes even external parties such as investors or customers can participate in the quarterly meeting. It is a good time to discuss together what is going on and go over future plans.
It sounds cozy, and it is. But don't underestimate what a quarterly meeting costs. Do the math: count the number of people at the table and multiply that by your company's average hourly rate. We 'zuunige Nederlanders' spend about 65 (!) billion euros annually on meetings. And did you know that an effective meeting table should actually have no more than seven participants? For every additional person, decision-making ability drops by ten percent.
Of course, such an external meeting location as KW9 comes at a cost. But the resulting time pressure on the quarterly meeting makes for faster decisions and decisive ideas. So your quarterly meeting becomes more effective. In this way, an off-site meeting location pays for itself. And that's always good news. Read also: Feel at home: small-scale meetings in Amsterdam
Prepare your quarterly meeting well
An effective quarterly meeting has a clear purpose. Ask yourself: what needs to be discussed and what do we want to accomplish with each agenda item? Is it about a decision, a status update or a brainstorming session? A quarterly meeting without a purpose is just paid bubbling. Also read: How do you organize a heath day for your team?
Also think about who you invite. Who really needs to be there? Put together an agenda and divide the topics into time blocks. That way you avoid something that can be discussed in 20 minutes taking an hour. Give everyone who attends a clear assignment; does everyone have something to contribute, for example? Schedule time for that.
In many quarterly meetings there is a lot of talking, but it is often not clear afterwards what was decided. This must change, because the purpose of the meeting is to arrive at insights and decisions together. Make sure that at the end of the quarterly meeting it is clear who is doing what, and when. Also immediately discuss a deadline for action items.
Topics for a quarterly meeting
Topics of a quarterly meeting are generally fairly standard. It is mainly about determining your priorities for the coming quarter. For example, consider the following agenda items:
Achievements and goals: Begin by looking back at the past quarter. Was the launch of the new product line a hit? What sales figures did you exceed? Also discuss what went less well - perhaps customer response to a marketing campaign was less than expected. That way you learn from every experience.
Finance: Take a close look at your finances for the past quarter. You may discover that you saved significantly on software by switching platforms, or that an unexpected increase in production costs squeezed profit margins. This part of your quarterly meeting is important to determine where you can invest or cut back.
Customer satisfaction: Collect feedback that customers have provided via social media, emails or customer service. For example, were customers enthusiastic about the improved speed of customer service, or were there complaints about order delivery times? These insights are valuable for service improvements in the coming quarter.
Team development: how is the team doing? Perhaps someone on the sales team has indicated she wants to take a time management course, or the development team needs extra support because of new projects coming up. A happy team is a productive team, so take time for this discussion during your quarterly meeting.
Organize your next quarterly meeting at KW9 in Amsterdam!
Away from your familiar workplace, that's where it happens! That's where your team becomes stronger, closer and more creative. At KW9 we have extensive experience in organizing quarterly meetings and know exactly what you need. You provide the content; we arrange everything down to the last detail. Our staff will ensure that you lack nothing. You will find KW9 in the historic center of Amsterdam, where you can count on peace, space and endless possibilities. Experience how valuable external meetings in Amsterdam can be for your next quarterly meeting.
