Meetings are a useful way to achieve better communications, problem solving and reach common consensus. For businesses, meetings are unavoidable. Meetings however often fail in their goals. ‘In many meeting more gets said than done.’
Furthermore, meetings are also a big time hog and often become a function of formed habits and expectations. In such cases, we need to evaluate the efficacy of meetings.
An extreme quote: “Meetings are a symptom of bad organization-the fewer the meetings the better.” – Peter Drucker
Some key points in how to make the tedious meeting pursuit more efficient.
- What kind of a meeting are you planning?Is it: an in person meeting or a virtual meeting? What outcomes is hoped to be achieved: solutions – clarifications – actions – communications- Info giving- info exchange – problem solving.
- Is this meeting necessary?Too many meetings indicate lack of good organization. Ensure you only recommend good attendees / send in your views beforehand if necessary / consider if partial attendance is a possibility?
- Prepare an Agenda– To all attendees send out early ‘pre-reads’. Reiterate the expectations ensuring that attendees are Agenda aware, ahead of the meeting. Set clear goals expectations and outcomes. A lack of agenda lead to poor planning and poor delegation
- Only invite those that must attend and keep the number minimal. More than 10 in meeting difficult to manage
- When should you decline attending a meeting?Before accepting to attend ask if you are the right party? Are you essential? Can you delegate to a more appropriate party who may serve well/better?
- Need for a balanced and diverse attendance for better collection of ideas–Make sure that invitees have complimentary skills as well as representative of your company culture. This stimulates creative thinking.
- Timekeeper & Scribe is essential– Must start and finish on time and all comments and ideas duly noted for follow up minutes
- Qualities of a good leader facilitator– Welcomes all warmly. Shares common mission with the full team. Listens well. Shows poise, sensitivity, tact, humor, good judgment, and remains unbiased. Disallows interruptions that can lead to disruption – know when to limit discussions
- Discussions must involve all participants in a congenial fashion Open atmosphere / summarize what you are hearing / ask questions about course of action / seek clarity / confirm agreement points / involve the quiet attendees.
- Beware of ‘group thinking’Confirmation bias / ‘yes’ person / desire to conform to authority. We’re all capable of being highly influenced by authority figures and conforming readily when given orders by them. Another extreme quote to highlight this thought – “In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.” Nietzsche
- Meeting flow– Must entail expressing and interchange of vision ideas and solutions – Good use of examples anecdotes and stories for validation on design, problem solving or discussions
- Meeting outcomes– who does what by when? Plan future actions /review purpose achievement / summarize progress / emphasize agreements / thank all / finish meeting on a positive message
Shishir Lakhani