MEETING MANIA

#10 - Meeting Mania - that's a peculiar disease that affects nearly everyone these days.  Some people look forward to the next meeting.   Others look for ways to avoid it.  Managing effective and productive meetings requires a lot of the leader's (that's YOU!) planning time and energy.

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Hello, and welcome, Team 412 members.  As we draw nearer to the end of our journey together, please reflect back on what we’ve accomplished so far.  It seems like a lot to me in a rather short time, but how does it seem to you?  What haven’t we talked about that you feel is needed?  What has been especially helpful to you?

This is Episode #10 and it’s about MEETING MANIA.  Meeting Mania – that’s a peculiar disease that affects nearly everyone these days, causing us to lose our good sense about the need for yet another meeting.  Some people swear by meetings.  Others swear at them.  Some people look forward to the next meeting.  Others look for ways to avoid it.  Some people think that meetings are good ways to use people’s time.  Others think meetings are good ways to waste everyone’s time.  Whatever your thoughts are on the matter of meetings, you, in your role as leader, are sure to have your share of them throughout your career.  I think I’ve had more than my share.  I would have finished this podcast yesterday, but I had three meetings, and I’m an old retired guy!

Meeting Mania is running rampant these days.  Especially during the COVID pandemic, meetings – virtual meetings, but meetings nevertheless – increased dramatically.  One study reported that meetings tripled in number – tripled!!  And along with that increase in the number of meetings, the report showed a tendency for those meetings to be less effective.  Do you wonder why?  More isn’t always better, that’s for sure!

American author and humorist Dave Barry wrote: “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be “meetings.”

One study estimated that 24 billion – that’s with a B, Billion – hours are wasted each year in unproductive meetings, and that there are about 55 million meetings taking place in the United States each week – 55 million!  And what happens in those meetings?  Well, meeting attendees reported that 39% of them daydreamed during the meeting, 91% slept, 73% multi-tasked, and 96% missed the meetings whenever they could. 

The percentages add up to more than 100%, which means that people reported more than one of those activities during the meeting.  It was estimated that just 11% of meetings are productive, and that means that 89% of them aren’t.  What’s wrong with this picture?  Meeting Mania, that’s what.

I was in a committee meeting at church years ago, and the minister said, “Do we need another meeting to plan the next meeting?”  I couldn’t believe what my ears heard!  What’s wrong with this picture?  Meeting Mania, that’s what.

A recent article on LinkedIn reported that on average, employees spend at least three hours a week in meetings, and that since the year 2000, time spent in meetings has increased by 8 – 10% each year.  Another article reported that meetings cost companies about $100 million dollars a year.  What’s wrong with this picture?  Meeting Mania, that’s what.

Let’s face it – meetings are not going away.  I’m afraid the Meeting Mania disease is incurable, but it doesn’t have to be terminal, as the title of Patrick Lencioni’s book, Death by Meeting, suggests.  (By the way, in spite of the catchy title, the book is really a helpful resource for new and experienced leaders).  Now, I should insert a disclaimer here - I’m not a physician, and perhaps I shouldn’t characterize “Meeting Mania” as a disease.  It’s not a diagnosis - just an illustration.  Describe it as a “monster” if you wish.  So now, let’s look at some ways you can help keep the Meeting Mania Monster at bay:

·      First of all, let’s admit that meetings are an expensive and inefficient way to get things done.  People love to talk, to bluster, to posture, and what better place than a meeting with a captive audience?  If you look at all this puffery in terms of the salaries being paid, the meeting has an enormous cost.  Some preliminary figures indicate that, on average, meetings cost employers about $29,000 per year.  In the current year, the value of volunteer time was calculated at a few cents under $35 per hour.  So, even though their volunteer time is free, figure the cost of the meeting.  For example, a committee meeting of 10 volunteers would cost $350 per hour.  Ask yourself – is this meeting worth the expense?  The takeaway?  Be a good steward of everyone’s time, and count the cost when you plan to schedule a meeting.

·      Begin with the end in mind.  What do you most want to accomplish with this meeting?  If you can’t answer that clearly and concisely, you don’t need to waste everyone’s time with a meeting that goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing. 

·      What’s on the agenda?  What points do you intend to discuss?  What is first, then next, and so on.  What do people need to bring with them to the meeting and be prepared to discuss?  If you don’t have a plan, you don’t have a need to meet.  The old Roberts’ Rules of Order was a template to help people learn how to manage a meeting, and to give meeting participants a clear idea of what was planned.  Your agenda need not be so rigid, but at the very least you need to have a clearly laid-out plan for the meeting to move from point to point in an orderly fashion.

·      Since you have developed an agenda, stick to it.  Don’t let someone derail the conversation or the discussion.  People are very good at thinking up other things to talk about.  Take note of those things, but put them on the agenda under “New Business” or whatever title you choose.  Good ideas can be captured and discussed later without derailing the agenda.

·      What’s the time frame?  Is this going to be a short meeting, a longer meeting, or a marathon?  People need to know what to expect and how much time and energy to devote to the meeting.  In my opinion, the shorter, the better.  Get the items discussed and get on with it.  Of course, some things will need a lot more time to discuss than others.  Plan for it.  And make sure everyone knows what time frame is planned for.

·      Part of the Meeting Mania trap is scheduling automatic, recurring meetings.  That is, planning that this committee will meet every Tuesday at 2:00 PM.  If you must do this, also build in some flexibility.  If there’s no pressing business, cancel the meeting or adjourn early.  Your colleagues will praise you for it!

·      Follow the KISS principle:  Keep It Short and Simple.  Remember that most people’s attention span is about 18 minutes.  That’s one reason that I limit these podcasts to about 15 minutes.  When you see eyes beginning to glaze over, it’s time to change the routine and move on.  It was said that Henry Ford used to have stand-up meetings with his management team.  It kept meetings short and to the point, that’s for sure!

·      Another part of the Meeting Mania trap is adjourning the meeting without some sort of summary.  Build in time near the end of the meeting for a quick review of the main points discussed, decisions reached, and especially action items to be completed, together with an end date clearly established.  An action item without a completion date is just a good wish.

·      Evaluate – honestly -   how effective the meeting was.  We’ve all heard of R.O.I., the initials for Return On Investment.  An article by Antoine Durand described R.O.T.I., or Return On Time Investment, and he suggested a five-point rating scale of 1 (Useless) to 5 (Excellent) to evaluate how the meeting was worth the time invested in it.  Do you wonder how many meetings earn a 5 rating from participants?

Now, to be fair, not all meetings are bad.  Some meetings are necessary to get the business of the organization or committee done and to encourage opinions and comments from all participants.  However, more effective and productive meetings require some careful planning.  Sometimes it’s easier for us to remember short, catchy words or letters.  Here are some management experts’ suggestions of 4 P’s for more productive meetings: 

1.      Purpose – clearly define what the meeting intends to achieve.  Keep things focused by starting the meeting with a statement such as, “…the goal of this meeting is …” and see to it that the conversation stays focused on reaching that goal.

2.      Preparation – communicate the purpose and the agenda to all participants in advance so they can adequately prepare for the meeting and the topics to be discussed.

3.      Progress – start and end on time.  Stay focused on the agenda and avoid roadblocks and detours.  Meetings tend to take as long or longer than you schedule them to last.

4.      Participation – encourage everyone to participate and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak – but keep track of the time!  People do like to talk.

5.      And then, some suggested a 5th P for Pizza – but let’s not get carried away!  Remember, meetings should be shorter!

Just to let you know that I really try to practice what I preach, here’s a quick recap of this episode:  Meetings may be here to stay, but we can at least make them a little more palatable by clarifying the purpose for the meeting, organizing it well, keeping things moving along during the meeting, summarizing the results, and being good stewards of everyone’s time and energy.  You, as leader, must set an example of good meeting management, rather than giving in to Meeting Mania.  It's not easy, but you can do it.  Good luck to you.  And now, I’m off to another meeting.

No, not really.  I do want to take a minute to ask you three open-ended questions to help you summarize what we’ve talked about in this episode.  Here they are:

1.      On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being Useless and 5 being Excellent, how would you rate the Return On Time Invested in the last three meetings you have participated in?

2.      In your opinion, what one thing would have most improved those meetings?

3.      What is one takeaway from this podcast that will help you improve your next meeting?

In your Workbook are a couple of additional questions for you to think about and put into practice.

Thanks for being with me for this episode.  I hope it has been helpful to you.  As a leader, it’s important to be a good steward of everyone’s time, and to count the cost of volunteers’ time when you get the urge to schedule another meeting.

In the next episode, we’ll talk about how to Be the Coffee Bean.  Life is full of times when you are in hot water.  You can choose to Be the Coffee Bean and change that hot water into a delicious beverage.

Until then, please stay safe and well, my friend, and good luck with keeping that Meeting Mania Monster at bay!