Instead I called the meeting “ an opportunity”, “a gathering”. This seemed to go over a little better. Then another colleague gave me a great insight! Much of her schedule as a senior leader is participating in meetings. She stated that she has come to think of meetings as part of her job, not something that everything else has to fit around. Meetings are often the way we get our work done!
Keeping Meetings Moving Forward:
Making the best of meetings starts with making the best use of individuals’ time. The most effective meetings I have attended:
- Are focused,
- Have ground rules (although I call them courtesies) and a gate keeper (agenda, priorities and time limits, time checks during meeting),
- Maintain detailed summary or notes,
- Specify timelines for topics and encourage people to stick to the point (focus, paraphrase, redefine),
- Engage input from everyone
Great Books About Meetings:
One of the books I highly recommend is “Death by Meeting” by Patrick Lencioni. Meetings are an essential part of business; however, they can also be unproductive, painful and sometimes pointless. Lencioni suggests that meeting formats be re-visited to be more engaging and less monotonous, and more effective so they contribute to the overall success of the team and business. He differentiates between four types of meeting: the check-in meeting, the weekly tactical meeting, the monthly strategic meeting and finally, the quarterly off site review meeting.
Action Steps: Consider asking colleagues and staff about your meetings. Specifically ask how the structure works, if the meetings are effective, and how they could be more enjoyable and engaging. Then… apply one (or more of the ideas).