Who, in the last few weeks, hasn’t complained about being in meetings and the amount of time they spend in meetings? That’s often one of the biggest complaints we get from managers and employees when working in companies. So what can you do about it?
Author, Patrick Lencioni, in his book, Death by Meetings, writes:
“Bad meetings exact a toll on the human beings who must endure them, and this goes far beyond mere momentary dissatisfaction. Bad meetings, and what they indicate and provoke in an organization, generate real human suffering in the form of anger, lethargy, and cynicism. And while this certainly has a profound impact on organizational life, it also impacts people’s self-esteem, their families, and their outlook on life.
And so, for those of us who lead organizations and the employees who work within them, improving meetings is not just an opportunity to enhance the performance of our companies. It is a way to positively impact the lives of our people. And that includes us.”
Take stock of the meetings you hold and attend this week. Are they being run efficiently? Do they start with a clearly defined outcome? Are people coming to meetings prepared? Do you start on time/end on time? Do you have an agenda? Do you follow it? What are people saying about your meetings? What are you saying about the meetings you attend? If you aren’t hearing or saying “that was a great meeting”, then you’ve got some work to do.
Meetings are crucial to getting things done but a poorly run meeting that gets little done is a waste of time. Respect yours and other people’s time … prepare, begin with the end in mind and work your agenda when holding a meeting. Everyone will thank you!
