It’s been memed about meetings: “None of us is as dumb as all of us.”
Raise your hand if you can’t wait for your next team meeting.
That’s what I thought. And you aren’t alone. For too many teams, meetings are where, as reliably as Swiss trains, all their bad habits spring to life.
Late starts. Fuzzy agendas. Cross talk. The list goes on. And, to think, people could actually have been doing their “real work” instead.
The good news: Meetings can be less painful and more productive. And the answers aren’t rocket science. In fact, they’re surprisingly simple—just some basic, healthy habits that any team can build.
Ready? Here are five habits to try in your own team.
Save Time with “Meeting Blocks”
Behold the six types of meeting blocks: decision-making, planning, brainstorming, bonding, reviewing, and updating. Understanding and using them can help your team better structure your meetings, with clearer objectives and next-level time efficiencies. Also, using meeting blocks can help you see that some things naturally fit together while others don’t. It makes sense, for example, to sequence a decision-making block and then a planning block, not vice-versa.
Make a Team Pact: No Agenda, No Meeting
How many times has your team spent the first 15 minutes of a meeting just figuring out why you’re there? Make a pact, then, that no meeting will be locked in without an agenda. That can be as easy as agreeing on one specific meeting block, i.e., “This will be a brainstorming block on XYZ initiative.” Similarly, it’s important to assign a facilitator for every meeting, too. That person’s job is simply to keep things on track, especially if your team is inclined to go off on tangents.
Allow People to Opt out of Meetings When Their Attendance Isn’t Essential
Admit it, not every team member needs to be in every meeting. So when you’re scheduling a meeting, assess whose presence is absolutely critical and give others the opportunity to opt out. Again, that’s where using meeting blocks can be helpful. For instance, if the meeting is a decision-making session, with only a few teammates in bona fide decision-making roles, then realistically not everyone needs to attend. Besides, the final outcomes can be relayed to others in a team email.
Assign Someone in Each Meeting to Capture Next Steps
Too many meetings end in a rush, with no clear-cut indication of the next steps and who exactly owns which ones. (Somebody needs to do something, right? But you know “somebody”—he never does anything). At the start of each team meeting, then, decide on who in that meeting will capture next steps and summarize them in writing within 24 hours. It doesn’t have to be the same person every time; in fact, out of fairness, it’s a good idea to rotate that task meeting by meeting.
Do the (Meeting) Math
It’s a real head-scratcher that most organizations don’t consider the hidden costs of meetings. I mean, why are teams compelled to complete purchase requisitions for every little thing when they “spend” exponentially more (via payroll) coordinating and conducting meetings? In other words, meetings aren’t free; in fact, they’re pretty costly propositions. What’s more, a one-hour team meeting costs a lot more than an hour. You need to factor in one hour per team member, not to mention those team members’ individual prep and follow-up time. That adds up quickly, especially when you consider that some meetings don’t need to happen in the first place.
In closing, are the five meeting habits laid out here hard? Of course they’re not. But here’s the rub: Most teams don’t practice them consistently enough to become actual, fully ingrained habits. So commit now to consistency. Soon your meetings will be less painful—and more productive. I guarantee it.
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