For years, research has also indicated that we set and hold too many meetings that do not result in the desired effects, but only in an excessive amount of time invested, and often in agreements of insufficient quality or in the failure to reach an agreement and in the frustrations of the meeting participants. Over time, bad meetings become our norm, we get used to them and do not try to influence them so as to improve and change them.
But in times of crisis, such as the one caused by the Covid-19 pandemic last year, and due to which most organisations had to switch to a predominantly virtual way of communicating and holding meetings, it was as if someone shone a spotlight on all the shortcomings of meetings. A large number of business professionals were continuously forced to be present in virtual meetings from sunup to sundown, and in some cases the practice of virtual meetings led to the so-called burn out syndrome. As a result of high levels of stress, high expectations, physical and emotional exhaustion, and feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of achievement, those who succumbed to this syndrome could no longer perform their work tasks effectively.
Effectiveness of virtual meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic:
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- 55 percent of respondents are doing “something else” during a virtual meeting (Intercall research);
- 90 percent of respondents said they are significantly more distracted when working from home (Forbes, 2020).
Insufficiently effective meetings are not only a waste of time and a significant waste of money, as found in research, but they also change the way we work, what we focus on and how we engage, and most importantly, what decisions we make. That’s why meetings must stop feeling like endless commercials in the middle of a movie, and become more like pitstops at Formula 1 races, where everyone knows what they need to do and they all achieve it in the shortest time possible. Let the meetings become precisely such forms of communication that help up create and coordinate change, because in today’s world, change means survival.
After observing thousands of meetings in different types of organisations and talking to clients, I have concluded that some of the most common causes of ineffective meetings are as follows:
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- it is unfamiliar what the meeting’s purpose is/what it should achieve;
- participants do not know what is expected of them and why they are present in the first place and do not know how to participate;
- the agenda of the meeting is not sent in advance or it does not exist at all;
- no one moderates the meeting;
- there are too many digressions outside the agreed topic and/or too many distractions (phones, laptops, people entering/exiting, multitasking) during the meeting;
- one person dominates the meeting or everyone speaks and no one listens;
- the meeting is taking too long;
- it is unclear what the next steps are and which actions need to be taken, who must take them and by when;
- no agreement was reached, nothing was decided and the meeting did not result in any change.
Some of the sentences my clients use when they describe what bothers them about meetings:
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- One or more people dominate the meeting.
- No one is moderating the meeting.
- At the meeting, information that is conveyed that can be communicated just as effectively by e-mail, and important matters are not discussed.
- No one is paying attention because everyone is on their cell phones or laptops.
- The same thing is discussed at every meeting because nothing gets done in between meetings.
On the other hand, what makes a meeting successful? A meeting can be considered successful when the purpose of the meeting has been achieved, when all participants have received the necessary information or knowledge and when they know what they need to do and in what time frame, and that they do so by putting in the least possible amount of their time. In order to achieve this, it is crucial to determine the following three things:
1. The purpose of the meeting
In Intel’s meeting rooms there is a sign: “If you don’t know the purpose of the meeting, you are not allowed to start the meeting.” If we don’t know what we want to achieve, it doesn’t even matter which path we take or who we take on that path, right? That is why it is crucial to determine the purpose of the meeting so that all participants know what the desired outcomes of the meeting are, what contribution we need to achieve, why it is important and how we will achieve it during the meeting. Moreover, when we define the purpose of the meeting, we enable the participants to identify and connect with the contribution that is to be made. The higher the degree of such identification of the participants is, the stronger their motivation to achieve the purpose will be. That’s why purpose should always be the compass when organising and leading any meetings.
2. Participants’ roles
One’s role in the meeting should be determined by two parameters: how the person can contribute to the purpose of the meeting and what should be gained from the meeting. Like Formula 1, which leaves the pit stop stronger in order to reach the goal as quickly and efficiently as possible, we should also come out of meetings feeling stronger, so that we can perform our work tasks as efficiently as possible, confident in what needs to be done, equipped with all the necessary resources and motivated to accomplish the task. Based on these two parameters, you should determine not only who should attend the meeting, but also how they should participate during the meetings.
3. Agenda of the meeting
If the purpose acts as your compass on the road to meeting effectiveness, then the agenda is your rudder. A well-designed agenda guarantees an effective structure of the meeting and represents a point of reference and focuses the participants and directs them towards achieving the desired outcome. Use the agenda as a timeline as well. An important aspect of running effective meetings is insisting that everyone respects the allotted time. Start the meeting on time; don’t waste time repeating anything for latecomers, and finish on time whenever you can. It is better to organize several short meetings with a narrow focus, a small number of participants and clear and specific desired outcomes, than to hold marathon meetings with too many topics and too many participants who do not necessarily have to participate for all the topics of the meeting.
During the meeting, the meeting should be effectively managed so that the given topics are discussed, all the while sticking to the allotted time, and especially having all the participants be engaged in the agreed way. Each meeting should be concluded by checking whether all participants comply with the agreement reached and whether the steps and timelines for the execution of the agreement are clearly defined.
When you define the purpose as the compass, the participants’ roles as the crew, and the agenda as the rudder, you are ready to set sail for meeting effectiveness.
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate the contributions you made with the meeting. In other words, if we have achieved the purpose of the meeting, it is a sign that we have employed good practices of communication, achieving understanding and cooperation. In order to provide the impetus and to apply them again in an easier and simpler way in some other situations, it is important that we verbalise not only what we did well, but also the way in which we achieved it. Therefore, dedicate the last minutes of the meeting to the experience of achievement and help each other on the way to creating a culture of effective meetings.