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I hate meetings. I’d say that around 90 to 95 percent of them don’t need to happen in the first place – a few phone calls or emails would achieve the same result in far less time. And when the occasional meetings that do need to happen occur, they’re usually too long. Inevitably, someone goes off on a tangent or talks for way too long, and an hour or three of your day that you’ll never get back is gone forever.
What’s the Secret to Running Great Meetings?
The October 27, 2008 issue of Fortune magazine posed that question to three top executives. I didn’t agree with everything (maybe even most) of what was said, but there were a few great nuggets of information to be found.
These are some of my favorites:
Diane Bryant, CIO, Intel
Every meeting needs an agenda emailed out beforehand, even if its just with someone one-on-one. If someone doesn’t prepare and comes in with a half baked idea, the meeting is often adjourned, and you come back when you’re ready.
Why is it that when we book a meeting, it’s always for an hour or 30 minutes? Why not 43 minutes? or 22?
Jan FIelds, EVP & COO, McDonald’s
I think most organizations meet too often. Meetings distract people from their work. Every time they’re in a meeting, they’re probably not getting work done.
We have this rule that you can’t use PowerPoint. If you do something, it has to be consolidated to one or two pages. Otherwise no one is going to read it.
Peggy Klaus, Executive Coach & President, Klaus & Associates
Presenters should talk no more than 11.5 minutes, because people have short attention spans. Meetings run long when people haven’t prepared for them well.
What are your strategies for managing great meetings?
Stand-up Meetings! Mtgs are always a lot shorter when everyone has to stand-up (healthier too).
@Totally Consumed – Thanks for the comment. I’ve heard that technique before. I’m sure it works really well!
- Chris
@Totally Consumed One of my favorite books is “Whatever you think, think the opposite”by Paul Arden.
In a meeting you don’t have to worry about how you are coming across to colleagues, because they are busy worrying about how they are coming across to you.
“Meetings are for those with not enough to do.
A meeting is a performance, an act to convince people of their own importance.
The real players don’t need to act out the meeting game.
They roll up their sleeves and get on with the job.”
IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING…LOSE THE CHAIRS
@Ryan Coleman – I’m going to have to put that on my reading list