Not Another Meeting!

Sadly this comment is common. Why? Are not meetings a place to do work? Are they not the place for people to make decisions? It is not the meeting that is the problem. It is how the meeting is set up, carried out, and followed through that usually causes the issues. If you have "soap opera" meetings...meetings that seem like the meetings held a week, month or year ago...you really do have and issue with putting ACTION into your meetings.


A = Accountability. Meetings are to get work done and make decisions. Without accountability this usually allows meeting to deteriorate into endless meetings.

C = Clarity. It starts with an agenda. Everyone needs to know what the meeting is about and what is to be the outcome. Issues, ideas and information should be clear and concise. Presenters should be held to a high standard of efficient presentations. Few slides, if any, and clearly defined issues and outcomes stated as "one pagers", go a long way in improving preparation for meetings.

T = Time. Yes time should be carefully considered in all aspects: the overall time of the meeting, the time of each presentation, the time to make a decision. Time should not be seen as a limiting factor but a proficiency factor. If clarity and preparation are done correctly, meetings do not have to drone on and on.

I = Individuals. Are the right people there? Are the right levels of decision makers in the meeting? Are the individuals participating? Meetings should never function in a way that allows people to attend and not participate. If a person is invited, they should be there to broaden knowledge and share in the decision.

O = Ownership. Participants should take ownership of the meeting process and decisions. Everyone involved must feel it is their meeting and have an interest in the outcome. That also means owning up to behaviors that may hinder meetings such as lack of preparation, not having agendas, being late, allowing poor or no minutes and allowing a meeting to end without action items.

N = Names. Ever been in a meeting where it was decided "something" must be done but no one was assigned the task? It is important that all action items have names attached to them. It is also much more efficient if the names of attendees are available. Minutes with names attached to comments, ideas, or decisions are valuable so others know who to contact for clarification or for follow-up conversations.

This is a simple description of behaviors that can help meetings be more successful. It is not all inclusive list of meeting skills. The only way to improve meetings is to start somewhere. Good luck.