Three years ago, I could have up to nine meetings per day. When Covid-19 hit and business went remote, having a meeting seemed to be the most common way of communication. What used to be a five-minute conversation in an office corridor turned into a 30-minute Zoom call.
But the problem with having too many meetings didn't start with Covid and remote work. In 2017, Harvard Business Review published an article called "Stop the Meeting Madness," in which they stated that among managers, "65% said meetings keep them from completing their own work. 71% said meetings are unproductive and inefficient. 64% said meetings come at the expense of deep thinking. 62% said meetings miss opportunities to bring the team closer together."
Now, seven years later, the meetings challenge is still not resolved. According to one McKinsey survey, "61% of executives said that at least half the time they spent making decisions—much of it surely spent in meetings—was ineffective."
A recent Atlassian report has shed light on a startling reality: "Meetings are ineffective 72% of the time." Moreover, "80% of respondents say they'd be more productive if they spent less time in meetings," and 78% are overwhelmed by the sheer number of meetings expected of them, making it difficult to get their actual work done.
So how can we fix it? Even when people are unhappy about having too many meetings (or too many unproductive meetings), they'll still schedule and attend them because it seems like the only right way to do business. And let's face it, every manager knows that having a clear meeting agenda, defining roles and ensuring everyone is prepared are crucial steps to a successful meeting. Yet, despite these efforts, many meetings still fall short of their potential. So what's missing?
The Missing Element: Meeting Type
One often overlooked factor is the type of meeting being held. Understanding the main purpose of the meeting, the desired outcome and the energy required from participants can drastically improve the effectiveness of your meetings.
Step 1: Identify The Primary Purpose
The first step is to clarify the primary goal of each meeting. Is it to generate new ideas, outline a strategic plan, ensure project execution, improve processes or build team cohesion? Identifying the purpose helps tailor the meeting to achieve its specific objectives.
And please, never call a meeting for the purpose of information sharing. Use emails, newsletters, podcasts or video-recorded messages to deliver information. The only valid reason for having a meeting is when you need collaborative input from every participant.
Step 2: Understand The Energy People Need To Bring To The Meeting
• Is it going to be a Game Changer Brainstorm Session where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are critical elements of success?
• Or are you planning a Playmaker Collaborative Alignment Meeting with a focus on relationship building and aligning team efforts?
• Maybe you need an Implementer Execution Focused Roundtable that requires a clear agenda with defined objectives and timelines to keep the meeting actionable and focused.
• Regularly, every team needs to be involved in a Strategist Visioning Workshop with a data-driven agenda and time for strategic forecasting.
• Finally, every organization requires a Polisher Quality Review with a detailed checklist of standards and criteria to assess performance and improvements.
To define the energy needed for the meeting, I use the framework provided by the GC Index, an Organimetric that measures five proclivities: strategist, game changer, playmaker, implementer and polisher. This framework helps align meetings with the specific contributions and impact each participant can make, enhancing their effectiveness and outcomes.
Step 3: Evaluate And Iterate
Regularly assess how well the meetings achieve their objectives and how engaged participants are. Use feedback surveys or measure outcomes against goals. Refine the meeting structure to better align with the purpose and improve effectiveness.
Practical Frameworks For Different Meeting Types
Game Changer Brainstorm Session
• Purpose: To generate innovative and transformational ideas
• Outcome: A collection of creative, actionable ideas
• Tips: Encourage free thinking, limit rules, use visual aids and facilitate in a stimulating environment.
Strategist Visioning Workshop
• Purpose: To develop a coherent strategic vision
• Outcome: A detailed strategic plan with clear objectives
• Tips: Provide pre-read materials, use structured analytical tools and ensure ample discussion time.
Playmaker Collaborative Alignment Meeting
• Purpose: To strengthen team cohesion and align efforts
• Outcome: Enhanced team dynamics and aligned understanding of goals
• Tips: Incorporate team-building activities, define and revisit goals and create a follow-up plan.
Implementer Execution Focused Roundtable
• Purpose: To translate strategic plans into actionable tasks
• Outcome: Well-defined action items with designated responsibilities
• Tips: Break down strategies into tasks, use project management tools and ensure clear communication.
Polisher Quality Review
• Purpose: To continuously improve work quality
• Outcome: Improved processes and products
• Tips: Schedule regular reviews, develop excellence criteria and foster a constructive feedback atmosphere.
Final Thoughts
Let's be honest, people usually don't like the idea of having too many meetings, but they still attend them because it is a corporate requirement, a habit or just a FOMO effect. Simply reducing the number of meetings is rarely the best option. By implementing these strategies for meeting planning and informing people of the main purpose of the meeting, you can have more productive meetings and more satisfied employees. Well-defined meeting norms are a critical part of an effective team.
As I wrote in my last article, team norms, clear purpose and collaborative decision-making, which happen during a productive meeting, lead your team to become one of a rare number of high performers.