More Efficient Meetings: What Freelancers Can Do
‘An email would have been enough.’ Surely everyone who has sat in an endless meeting has had this thought. Especially if you work as a freelancer for a company, there seems to be no escape. Meeting coach and author Pascal Baumgartner wants to change that with his book "Happy Meeting". In this interview, he reveals how to create a more efficient meeting culture for everyone.
Working Towards a Better Meeting Culture: Is It Worth It?
exali: We've probably all sat in boring or even annoying meetings at some point. But as a freelancer, isn't that just part of the job? Why should I invest energy in changing this?
Pascal Baumgartner:
If you think about what you can achieve with just a few hacks, every little (or big) effort towards a happy meeting is worthwhile. After all, it's not just one meeting. If you approach changes in a targeted and conscious way, you will change all future meetings. In addition, you save the time of all participants (who often find it boring and, from experience, will appreciate it very much).
In my opinion, every meeting is an opportunity! If they're done well, they're not a waste of time, but rather ensure a lot of progress.
exali: Freelancers are still reluctant to put their own stamp on meetings with clients. How can I initiate changes without offending anyone's sensibilities?
Pascal Baumgartner:
Good point. However, when you know that everyone present is grateful to you, the ‘’putting your mark‘’ takes on a completely different context. You are no longer a victim of circumstance, but are celebrated for your efforts. Promise.
And to ensure that it doesn't feel like you're getting straight to the point with anyone, I've included a few diplomatic and specific phrases:
‘To make the most of our time, would it be okay if we set an active agenda and I take over the moderation?’
"That's a great idea, we should definitely look at that again elsewhere. But I'd like to park this idea so that we can finish on time. We can do that with all ideas, inputs and questions that don't fit the agenda."
Small adjustments that have a big impact. And when it becomes clear that your suggestion improves the meeting, the only thing others will ask is why it didn't always go like this. You have made the first changes and can build on them.
A planned approach is also important when it comes to project planning. Our article Project Contract Checklist: The Most Important Content and Information shows how this can be achieved.
Efficient Meetings: Preparation Is Everything!
exali: Let's get specific: How do I prepare a meeting with a (potential) customer in the best possible way?
Pascal Baumgartner:
The answer could be a little more detailed. After all, good meeting preparation is the key to productive and effective meetings:
Managing Meetings: In the Thick of It
exali: Can freelancers also do something during the conversation to steer the meeting in a positive direction?
Pascal Baumgartner:
But yes, quite a lot. The Happy Meeting method also provides concrete input here. As freelancers, we can be good and active dialogue partners in meetings. We can do this by ...
...showing appreciation and gratitude.
...listening well, being curious and asking good questions.
...showing empathy and understanding.
...promote solution-orientated and non-violent communication.
...simply smile and take things with humour.
...break the ice and jump in with an answer to a question spontaneously.
exali: What tips do you have for dealing with difficult characters in a meeting (troublemakers, silent partners, unpunctuality, interruptions, etc.)?
Pascal Baumgartner:
- The critics with attitude: Give them responsibility: ‘Sounds like you have a strong opinion on this - do you have a solution?’
- The quiet ones: actively address them: ‘What do you think, Anna?’. Or use a round in which everyone has their say.
- The late bloomers: Start on time. Always. No waiting. If you're late, just join in the middle. You learn this faster than you think. And if that doesn't work, make starting the meeting on time an agreement. This has the advantage that you can ask how well it has been implemented after a few weeks and whether everyone involved wants to stick to it.
- The interrupters: Set a clear meeting agreement (and have it confirmed by everyone): ‘One person speaks, everyone else listens.’ If necessary, interrupt charmingly: ‘Let X finish for a moment, then it's your turn.’
Meetings run better when everyone knows their role - and you can contribute to this. Whether as a moderator or as a participant.
Ending Meetings Early: When, How and Why?
exali: Are there situations in which it makes sense to cancel a meeting?
Pascal Baumgartner:
Yes, there are situations like this - and you can usually recognise them when a meeting gets stuck or goes round in circles in terms of content. At the latest when it is unclear what is to be achieved or whether the right people are at the table, the meeting should be scrutinised.
Cancel the meeting if...
- ...no goal is clear and none emerges.
- ...the discussion goes round in circles endlessly - better to have a follow-up with concrete next steps.
- ...the key people are missing - because without decision-makers, there are no decisions.
In such cases, an appreciative sentence such as: ‘I have the feeling that we're not making any progress here/getting the results we need - does it make sense to postpone the meeting?’ helps.
Conclusion: Meetings are what we make of them. And freelancers can be game changers. We should see meetings as an opportunity, communicate this and thus make the meeting culture discussable. In order to make this work, we all need to set a good example and bring structure and respectful communication to every meeting.
And finally, the most important thing: Have fun in meetings and in everything you do.
Pascal Baumgartner from HappyMeeting.com is a meeting coach and has developed a method to achieve a triple leap with a new meeting culture: Save costs, increase efficiency and motivate employees. Together with Danny Wünsch, he has published the book Happy Meeting - The Playbook for an Awesome Future (2023).
For over two years now, they have been changing the meeting cultures of medium-sized and large organisations. Their clients include (excerpt): DB regio, Amnesty International, Green Planet Energy, Targobank, St. Galler Kantonalbank, ELO Digital Office, Saatchi & Saatchi, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Migros, Kantonales Steueramt Zürich, Station Zürich, berry, Milch & Zucker and DEPT.
Vivien Gebhardt is an online editor at exali. She creates content on topics that are of interest to self-employed people, freelancers and entrepreneurs. Her specialties are risks in e-commerce, legal topics and claims that have happened to exali insured freelancers.
She has been a freelance copywriter herself since 2021 and therefore knows from experience what the target group is concerned about.
