July, 2006

Will Think for Food

Make your meetings count with good planning, careful execution—and plenty of good food.

By Tom Fife

We all have been part of too many meetings that were ineffective and pretty much a waste of time. A comment that I hear often in my management seminars is that meetings just cost too much and nothing seems to come of them. I agree that without the proper preparation and focus most meetings fail to achieve their objective. However, a forum for honest disclosure, information sharing and a sense of community is an essential element of a thriving enterprise.

Identifying the purpose of the meeting can help determine the environment and setup as well as who participates. With meetings—unlike bathrobes—one size does not fit all! First decide what the meeting is trying to accomplish.

For instance, if you were going to have a meeting to gain trust, how would you do it? To gain trust we need to be prepared to answer many questions. When we put no parameters on questions and answer them openly and honestly, we gain the trust we are after. A relaxed posture and atmosphere will speak volumes to your participants.

Location, Location, Location

How about an information-gathering meeting? Are people more or less apt to be open and sharing on your turf (office) or theirs (work area)? You got it! We are more comfortable in our own settings than we are being marched into an office or conference room, so go to their turf to gain information.

A brainstorming session is a whole different kind of meeting. There should be no editing of ideas. This type of meeting requires an extremely open setting with a flip chart to write down all of the ideas. Remember, there are no bad ideas in the session. Later is the time to sort out what we will use or delete. A lot of cross communication should be expected and is needed. A free-flowing forum is imperative in order to elicit the really great ideas.

The timing and settings are key to having a meeting do what you intend it to do. Make sure to take into account how the time of day affects your outcomes.

What happens if we meet at day’s end? The first thing we need to be aware of is that we probably will not have our entire group present. Those who do attend the meeting are usually disheveled, spent and hungry. Is this the mindset you need to find the answers to the important challenges you want to tackle? If you do have after-hour meetings, serve food and let the group know that they will be fed.

Timing Is Everything

If we meet before work hours, we gain full attendance and build camaraderie to boot. It also gives the rest of the day to digest and share the meeting information among the group. Food is a must!

Who likes lunch meetings? A lunch meeting risks a shortage of room, time and focus. I refuse to undertake them unless it is absolutely necessary...but I usually eat first!

The following rules to help you achieve the results you desire are no secret. The secret, as always, is consistent implementation.

• Have a clear purpose for the meeting— no purpose equals no meeting necessary.

• Be prepared: Have a written agenda and handouts if necessary. If possible, circulate the agenda in advance.

• Choose the appropriate setting and seating.

• Schedule the meeting conveniently, productively and with plenty of advance notice.

• Involve the correct people.

• Stay focused on the subject(s).

• Encourage participation.

• Discourage rambling.

• Summarize where appropriate.

• Adhere to time allotment.

• Follow up.

• Follow through.

I believe that a properly presented meeting with the right participants, purpose, setting and timing is still one of the most effective tools any business leader can use. A good meeting is great! A bad meeting is a waste of time, money and opportunity. Do it right or not at all.