Is there anyone out there who hopes there will be more meetings in 2017 than there were in 2016? I didn’t think so. While a new year should be exciting for your business, it might just mean another twelve months of relentless and mostly meaningless, unproductive meetings. If this sounds like your company, I’ve got great news. You have the opportunity to say “enough” and take the first step towards taking control of meetings. It is time to start a meeting revolution!
Throughout all my years in the corporate world, the one universal problem that every single person acknowledges and complains about – is meetings. They’re simply broken, on every level. While everyone knows the “meetings system” is broken, somehow we all accept it as a given. We spend so much time preparing for these meetings, sitting through them, recapping, reviewing, and scheduling follow-up meetings, that we fail to strategize, make decisions and take actions for the future. But isn’t that the point of meetings in the first place?
I’ve seen businesses become victims of their own internal “meetings systems.” Half the time members of the team don’t even know who is scheduling these meetings, or why the meeting is being held in the first place. Meetings are elusive and seem to come out of the air conditioning system — and no one can identify who “owns” them. Even those at the top aren’t in charge of their own schedule. I have worked alongside countless leaders who accept this as the norm. It is unlike any other business process problem, where when an issue is identified, a team is put in place to fix it. But not meetings.
So, how do you begin your own meetings revolution? First, you should cut meetings down to a fraction of their allotted time. Generally, most meetings are planned to last an hour. But if everyone came prepared, the meeting was well run, and the stated goals were accomplished, you could do this in thirty minutes, so people could actually go back to work, and maybe even begin attacking the ideas that were talked about? This will allow for more action and results. In the words of Nike, “Just do it.”
In my new book, Why Are There Snowblowers In Miami?, I emphasize the enormous loss of unproductive time in our professional lives. I’ve spoken to leaders who are so consumed by meetings that they don’t have time to do their jobs! One way of recapturing this much-desired extra time is sending out a document at least 48-hours prior to all the participants that contains the agenda and pertinent documents to be read prior to the meeting. This will accomplish several things. First, you will eliminate the time taken to read the materials together in the actual meeting. Second, you have created time for meaningful discussion, involvement, decisions, and ownership. Third, everyone feels more engaged and energized.
A meeting revolution also demands focus, the same approach that you would use to deal with any other business problem. You need someone in charge, but the reality is that no one would want this job, and it would be very difficult to sustain the revolution. That’s where my concept, the Meeting Czar, comes in. Each member of your leadership team should be in control of your company’s meetings process for two weeks. This way, each leader will experience a different perspective and approach to the issues at hand. By the time everyone has had a turn, everyone will realize how powerful proactively managing meetings can be.
Whether it’s the Meeting Czar or a normal participant, everyone should stay on point. Going off on tangents happens in every meeting and is the enemy of saving time. Gain control back to your meetings and regain ownership of your day.
Of course, this is easier said than done. I once had a client that said that he was having problems pulling in the reigns during his meetings. I told him there’s a simple solution. Explain that the off-topic points are important, but not relevant now and stick to the agenda. Create a clear goal, and steer the team towards it! Once that goal is met, get to work.
I’ve been able to implement these techniques into my own meetings and noticed exciting and positive results almost immediately. People who leave these meetings are often giddy that they’ve experienced something unique. These initial steps have the potential to fundamentally change how leaders interact with each other and the benefits extend way beyond running effective meetings. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen many times.
2017 is your year to be more productive, drive results and shine. But you won’t get much work done if you’re stuck in pointless meetings all day. Make sure your meeting revolution incorporates these ideas, and your business and employees will benefit – and thank you.
Read Why Are There Snowblowers In Miami? today! http://ow.ly/EVua307jvU8