What are "next steps"? 

You’ve had a productive meeting and made significant progress, but what happens now? The next steps you take are important. Without following through on them productively, you’re unlikely to build on the momentum you have from your great meeting. 

The first thing after a meeting you should always do is send a recap. This should summarize everything that’s been discussed and who has specific tasks to take on. Be clear about what the things to be done are and what you’re expecting back. If needed, set a deadline and check in regularly to make sure everything is proceeding as planned. 

You should also look to update any trackers you use to make sure everyone is on the same page - whether they were in the meeting or not. Senior executives might want to get a quick overview of what’s happening in your team, so up-to-date trackers (the likes of JIRA or Asana) can help them do this easily.

What is a “next step” meeting? 

When you’re working on a longer project or even just regular quarterly tasks, check-ins are crucial to staying on track. After a productive meeting and a bit of momentum in your back pocket, you should plan your next session. 

Start by finding a time that works for the people you need there. Doodle’s Group Poll tool is a great way to canvas a large number of people quickly to find the best time to meet. 

Once you have something booked, reach out to the people who had tasks to complete after your last meeting. Find out if they have completed what they needed to do, have any blockers and generally get an update on where they are. From here you can create your agenda and email it to everyone well in advance of the meeting. 

It’s also a good idea to ask people for feedback prior to getting together again. Find out what people liked about your format and what they didn’t. Adjust your planning to suit, so you get the most out of your meeting.

How to schedule your next steps meeting

Regular check-ins can really help take a project forward, but finding time with all your colleagues is challenging. Doodle makes it easy. 

With Group Poll you can get your next session in everyone’s diary minutes before you even leave the meeting room. Simply select a range of times you’re free and send it to the people you need. They’ll decide what works for them and you’ll have a time to meet. 

If you want to take scheduling even further, Doodle Professional lets you get rid of ads, set deadlines and send reminders for when you’re meeting. 

Meeting online is also easy with Doodle. You can add your favorite video conferencing tool and its links will automatically be added to any invites you send. Ideal with so many of us working remotely or hybrid.

Doodle makes it easy for you to meet regularly and plan your next steps. No more email ping pong, just more free time for the important things. Try it for free today.