Quick Seven

from Able Leader, September 2007

by Steve Kaye

Here are seven things that you can do to make your meetings more effective.

1) Earn a profit.

Every business activity is designed to make money. And that should include meetings. Yet, most meetings lose money. People spend thousands of dollars of payroll money and end up with nothing.

Plan meetings that cost less than the value of the results. Estimate the cost of your next meeting by multiplying the duration by the number of people by the labor rate. Then add the cost of materials and travel. Now, compare this with the value of the results.

Use this to design meetings that make money for your business. And avoid (or cancel) meetings that lose money.

2) Put people to work.

Most meetings are conducted by discussing issues. People sit, they talk, and they talk some more. As a result they accomplish nothing, except express a lot of ideas, which may or may not have any value to the business.

Why?

Discussion is the least effective meeting process. It favors the few who are outspoken and ignores the majority who are reflective.

Instead, use group activities that involve everyone.

3) Protect your time.

Some people assume that you have nothing else to do except attend their meetings. They might even think that you would feel offended if you missed one of their meetings. So, they invite you.

While we all appreciate being wanted, these meetings could be a waste of your time (or worse).

Thus, always ask why you are being invited, how you should prepare, and what you should bring.

You want to avoid being ambushed with a surprise or serving as an audience for junior staff who are trying to impress their bosses by inviting executives to their meetings.

4) Promote creativity.

Some meetings are conducted like a Medieval court. Everyone bows to the ruler. No one dares talk except when recognized. And punishments are meted out frequently.

As you might expect, such meetings waste everyone's time (except maybe the ruler who finds them entertaining).

Instead, create a safe environment that fosters open, candid thinking. Do this by treating everyone with respect. Avoid sarcasm, satire, insults, complaints, and criticism.

Without a safe environment, your meeting will produce only ordinary ideas.

5) Ask good questions.

Too many meetings start with, "Well, what do you want to talk about?"

Save party questions like this for informal gatherings. Instead, ask specific questions that direct thinking to accomplish your goals for the meeting.

Of course, this means you will have to prepare these questions before the meeting based on your goals and agenda.

6) Say "No."

Just in case your have the misfortune of working with someone who does not read this newsletter (that is, someone who calls meetings without a plan) protect your valuable time by asking a few key questions.

Always ask for the goal, agenda, and purpose before agreeing to attend. Then pay careful attention to the answers because these reveal what you can expect from the meeting.

Decline to attend meetings without these because this reflects a lack of leadership that seldom accomplishes anything.

7) Ask for help.

When a meeting matters, use a facilitator. This frees you to participate and helps you accomplish more.

A good facilitator will also help you a) determine a realistic goal for your meeting, b) prepare a workable agenda, and c) obtain results everyone supports.

Call me at 714-528-1300 to talk about making your next meeting a success.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
714-528-1300