5 Pitfalls of Pitiful Meetings…and How to Fix Them
Share thisIf your team members (or you) hear “Meeting at 3:00” and think, Here comes another waste of my time, then it’s time for a meetings overhaul at your organization.
“In these tough economic times, every second of the work day is valuable,” says Kimberly Douglas, author of "The Firefly Effect: Build Teams That Capture Creativity and Catapult Results." If it’s time for a meetings overhaul at your organization, read on for common meeting pitfalls and how you can fix them.
Pitfall #1: What’s the point?
A common problem with many meetings is that they’re scheduled with seemingly no clear objective in mind. Douglas suggests that you run through a pre-meeting checklist before putting it on everyone’s schedule.
A common problem with many meetings is that they’re scheduled with seemingly no clear objective in mind. Douglas suggests that you run through a pre-meeting checklist before putting it on everyone’s schedule.
- Is a meeting even necessary?
- Could the information you want to provide be just as easily presented in an email?
- What do you want to accomplish with the meeting?
- Will reaching that accomplishment really require a group decision?
If you ask yourself these questions and decide that you do need to have the meeting, next consider who should attend.
Pitfall #2: Where’s the agenda?
A quality meeting agenda includes:
A quality meeting agenda includes:
- The date, time, and location of the meeting
- The meeting’s objectives
- Three to six agenda items, accompanied by how long they’ll take to discuss and who the discussion leaders will be
- A clear explanation of the prep work that should be completed before the meeting
Send the agenda out as far in advance of the meeting as possible, and then re-distribute an agenda/meeting reminder 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Pitfall #3: Conference room overcrowding
Make sure everyone who is attending the meeting knows exactly why they were invited. If need be, communicate directly to them why you want them there. Those in attendance need to know if you want them to be an expert, an influencer, or a decider.
Make sure everyone who is attending the meeting knows exactly why they were invited. If need be, communicate directly to them why you want them there. Those in attendance need to know if you want them to be an expert, an influencer, or a decider.
Pitfall #4: The meeting is going on forever
Create a reputation for yourself as being a meeting leader who starts and ends on time, every time. Remember that the ideal maximum meeting length is 60 minutes. Allot specific amounts of time for each agenda item. You might want to encourage your discussion leaders to go around and get a headline from each person in the meeting to start each discussion topic. That gives everyone a chance to participate, without allowing one person to take up all of the discussion time.
Create a reputation for yourself as being a meeting leader who starts and ends on time, every time. Remember that the ideal maximum meeting length is 60 minutes. Allot specific amounts of time for each agenda item. You might want to encourage your discussion leaders to go around and get a headline from each person in the meeting to start each discussion topic. That gives everyone a chance to participate, without allowing one person to take up all of the discussion time.
Pitfall #5: The meeting becomes a free-for-all.
The best way to avoid losing control of the conversation and the meeting as a whole is to set some conversational ground rules right away. Select four to six rules based on the unique needs of those attending and your specific meeting objectives. A few possibilities include, “Everyone participates,” “Speak in headlines,” and “Police yourself—Am I participating too much or not enough?” etc. Keep the rules front and center, maybe write them on a flip chart or on the agenda.
The best way to avoid losing control of the conversation and the meeting as a whole is to set some conversational ground rules right away. Select four to six rules based on the unique needs of those attending and your specific meeting objectives. A few possibilities include, “Everyone participates,” “Speak in headlines,” and “Police yourself—Am I participating too much or not enough?” etc. Keep the rules front and center, maybe write them on a flip chart or on the agenda.
About the Author:
Kimberly Douglas, SPHR, is president of FireFly Facilitation, Inc., www.FireFlyFacilitation.com a firm specializing in the design and facilitation of high-impact initiatives, including leadership team effectiveness and strategic planning. She has facilitated results for over 25 years in a broad cross-section of industries and organizations, including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Home Depot, UPS, and the U.S. Marine Corps. Kimberly holds a master of science in industrial/organizational psychology. Prior to founding FireFly ten years ago, Kimberly was an organization effectiveness manager for Coca-Cola, a director with the Hay Group, and served in HR leadership roles in the healthcare, telecommunications, and hospitality industries. Her book, The Firefly Effect, was published by Wiley in April 2009.
Kimberly Douglas, SPHR, is president of FireFly Facilitation, Inc., www.FireFlyFacilitation.com a firm specializing in the design and facilitation of high-impact initiatives, including leadership team effectiveness and strategic planning. She has facilitated results for over 25 years in a broad cross-section of industries and organizations, including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Home Depot, UPS, and the U.S. Marine Corps. Kimberly holds a master of science in industrial/organizational psychology. Prior to founding FireFly ten years ago, Kimberly was an organization effectiveness manager for Coca-Cola, a director with the Hay Group, and served in HR leadership roles in the healthcare, telecommunications, and hospitality industries. Her book, The Firefly Effect, was published by Wiley in April 2009.