Rules Of Management

RULE 4 - Hold effective meetings – no, really effective

“The ideas that come out of most brainstorming sessions are usually superficial, trivial, and not very original. They are rarely useful. The process, however, seems to make uncreative people feel that they are making innovative contributions and that others are listening to them.”

A. Harvey Block, CEO, Bokenon Systems

We’ve all been to them – the meetings that drag on, people who ramble, agendas written on the back of the envelope or spur of the moment, any-other-business surprises, lack of information, insufficient notice.

As a manager you will have to hold meetings. Make them effective. Decide in advance what the objective of the meetings is and make sure you meet that objective.

Basically, meetings only have four purposes:

To create and fuse a team
To impart information
To brainstorm ideas (and make decisions)
To collect information (and make decisions)

“Decide in advance what the objective of the meetings is and make sure you meet that objective.”

Some meetings might well take in one or more of these, but you should still be aware of that and add it into your objective. If your meeting is to impart information, then do it and get the hell out. If it’s a discussion about that information you want, then that’s a different type of meeting and as such should have different objectives. Be aware that some meetings are there to help your team meet each other, bond, socialize together, find out about each other and see you in your true role as team leader.

If you want your meetings to be effective, then remain firmly in control – no wishy-washy democracies here. You are the manager and you are in charge – end of the story. To be effective you shouldn’t allow anyone to reminisce, ramble, rabbit on, refuse to shut up or relax. Keep ‘em moving fast and get them out of the doors as soon as you can.

You don’t do ‘any other business’ – ever. If it’s important it should be on the agenda. If it isn’t, then it shouldn’t be there at all. ‘Any other business’ is invariably someone trying to get something over on someone else. Don’t allow it – ever.
See how many meetings you could hold by e-mail, phone, one-to-one (cut out everyone who isn’t absolutely essential).

Start all meetings on time. Never wait for anyone. Never go back over stuff for latecomers. If they’ve missed something vital they can get it from others after the meeting and it’ll learn ‘em to be on time next time.* Useful tip – never schedule meetings to begin exactly on the hour, always say 3.10 rather 3 o’clock. You’ll find people will always be more punctual if you set an ‘odd’ time. Try 3.35 if you want to be really wacky.

Schedule the meeting far enough in advance – but not too far – so that no one can say they had something else on. Confirm the day before with everyone to make sure they have remembered and can make it.

“Start all meetings on time. never wait for anyone.”


* The Toad, having finished his breakfast, picked up a tout and swung it vigorously, belaboring imaginary animals. ‘I’ll learn ‘em to steal my house!’ he cried. ‘I’ll learn ‘em!’ ‘Don’t say “learn ‘em,” Toad,’ said the Rat, greatly shocked. ‘It’s not good English.’ ‘What are you always nagging at Toad for?’ inquired the Badger, rather peevishly. ‘What’s the matter with his English? It’s the same what I use myself, and if it’s good enough for me, it ought to be good enough for you!’ ‘I’m very sorry,’ said the Rat humbly. ‘Only I THINK it ought to be “teach ‘em”, not learn ‘em.” ‘But we don’t WANT to reach ‘em,’ replied the Badger. ‘We want to LEARN ‘em – learn ‘em, learn ‘em! And what’s more, we’re going to DO it, too! (Kenneth Grahame, the wind in the Willows)

You decide who keeps the minutes – and make sure they do, and to you liking. You don’t have to be bossy or aggressive about this, just firm, friendly and utterly in control.

Make sure every point on the agenda ends up with an action plan – no action plan means it was just a chat. Or a decision of course.

If meetings are getting too big – more than six people – start to subdivide them into committees and get your committees to report back.

And most important of all – engrave this one on your heart – all meetings must have a definite purpose. At the end of the meeting you must be able to say whether or not you met that purpose. Oh yes, and hold all meetings on uncomfortable chairs (or standing, à la West Wing) – that speeds things up considerably.

posted by Right Ranger @ 5:50 PM