Let’s ban meetings! No good comes from them, at all … !
Well, actually, let’s ban all BAD meetings. Meetings that start late, go on too long, get lost down rabbit holes, include people who aren’t relevant, are dominated by strong or loud personalities, rehash what’s been discussed umpteen times before, etc..
We all know what BAD meetings look like. And we definitely know what they feel like. Torture!
So let’s not do that anymore. Let’s say “NO” to bad meetings and yes to meetings we LOVE.
Love you say?!
A love-worthy meeting is where the right people come together (We like people, right?) to get something important accomplished (That sounds good.) that is best handled dynamically (Emails and Slack don’t cut it.) in a very efficient/effective way (RIght on!) and where diversity of input is valued and encouraged (Perfect!).
A love-worthy meeting builds relationships, creates strong positive outcomes and accelerates progress. We’ve all experienced a great meeting – at least once in our lives : ) Felt good, right? Fun and productive, right?
So let’s do more of those. And let’s make it easy so we’ll actually do it. Here’s how:
- Pick an objective
- Invite only those who are necessary
- Start on time
- Let people leave when they’re no longer necessary
- Stay on point.
- Take deep dives offline.
- Invite everyone to participate. No dominators!
- List action items (who, what, when)
- Summarize at the end (objective, decisions, action items)
- Follow up as necessary
That’s all there is to it!
Get into the habit easily. Simply self-check the list at the end or every meeting. Ask the group if each item was accomplished. Check off the ones that were and, next time, pay attention to the ones that weren’t.
Wow! So easy and destiny changing. Because meeting mastery is a source of competitive advantage. You get more done, better and faster. Like so many basics that most companies miss. (For more winning basics check out The Big6 https://ceomastery.com/big6-opt-in/)