Anyone Up For A Meeting?
Marketing guru Seth Godin has some creative things to say about meetings in his recent blog. Somewhere along the line leaders need to figure out how to conduct effective meetings. Too much time is wasted in meetings that aren't all that helpful. Here's the link.
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That is some good stuff. I am in meetings probably 25% - 30% of my week, on average. Sometimes more. I want to try some of those idea.
Also a note. I clicked through to one of the trackback links on that post on Seth Godin's blog, and this dude had some really interesting stuff. He would prep people for the meeting by emailing out surveys a week before that had to do with what he wanted to talk about in the meeting. Then he would compile the results a couple days before the meeting and send them out to everyone who would be attending the meeting. In doing this, he gets people thinking about what they need to talk about before they actually get into the meeting, thereby saving time, and getting more valuable feedback. It sounded cool to me. I'm going to give it a shot.
The whole standing thing sounded cool too, but I don't know how well that would fly around here...
Thanks for your comments Seth, they were helpful.
Just my personal opinion here based on about 22 years of corporate meetings. Every business is different, so take this or leave it. :)
We've gone through all the gyrations and latest meeting crazes...everybody stand up...start the meetings at odd times (9:06)...give everybody a set amount of time to talk...etc.
However, after multiple corporate downsizings which causes everybody's time to be at a premium and makes time wasted in meetings even more of a priority to eliminate...this is what we do.
Almost never do we have an 'actual' meeting in a room with over 5 people. We begin meetings virtually, via our instant messaging software system (Sametime). Usually 2 people...then if we find we absolutely need somebody, we invite them into the virtual meeting. Only after we've slowly added people as needed, and we see a 'real' meeting is needed, do we schedule one. I would estimate these virtual meetings work about 90% of the time, and no 'real' meeting is required.
However, when a 'real' meeting is necessary, a formal agenda is required and drawn up and distributed. These meetings almost always occur within 24 hours of the initial virtual conference. After all, if it's that important to have a face to face meeting...better get it done ASAP.
Every business environment is different of course...but this is what works for us. And FYI....as a tele-worker...I haven't been in a 'real' meeting in over 4 years. :)
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