Today’s tip: STOP THE ‘MEETING MADNESS’, START LEADING PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS! One of these days, a good friend of mine was sharing her frustration about the day. She had awakened early that morning with one thing -and only one thing- in mind: finishing a two-page report. It was a task she needed to do; it was part of her agreed deliverables; she wanted to do it; she was able, willing, and ready! My friend read a couple of pieces, gathered additional material, and started drafting. By 10 am, however, the first meeting of the day began, and by 6 pm (her time) -when we spoke- the report was as advanced as it was before her first meeting. She was frustrated and tired. Her day had come and gone before her eyes, jumping from one zoom meeting to the next, working a lot, but achieving little. By 6 pm, when her working day should have ended, she was starting. My friend was peeved. She felt she had wasted her day.
I asked her why she was so frustrated; after all, ‘meetings-r-us,’ right? In a split second, I realized how stupid my question was, but it was too late. She lashed at me: Don’t you know how unproductive, disrespectful, and even offensive it is to participate in two-hour-long meetings where the convener speaks half of the time, no actions are agreed and where they even dared to ask others to intervene briefly?
I love my friend, and her passionate message got me thinking. How many times have I done the same to those I invited for a meeting? I thought of my teams, past and present, and I got worried and embarrassed…☹ Now that most of us have succumbed to the ‘zoomitis’ virus, it is critical to pay more attention to how we prepare, conduct, and improve our meetings. Do please take the time to look into the link below and the additional recommended readings. In a previous email, I had touched upon meetings’ duration, but I had just scratched the surface. We are talking about an issue that only in the US costs an estimated US$30 billion of time waste. A time that, in our case, could -and should- be invested in more meaningful, inspiring, and life-improving initiatives for those most in need.
Why your meetings stink and what to do about it: https://hbr-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/hbr.org/amp/2019/01/why-your-meetings-stink-and-what-to-do-about-it
Take care, and stay safe!