Chapter 2

The Costs and Causes of a Nonproductive Meeting

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Expert and consultant on time management, R. Alec Mackenzie, conducted a study to determine the most significant timewasters in industry, business, and government. Table 2-1 lists timewaster profiles of five specific groups he studied. Each participant was asked to make a list of the top 10 personal timewasters in order of importance. The “No.” column indicates the total number of participants who listed that item in their top 10 list. The “Wt.” column shows the total weights (10 = most important) given by those who selected that item.

 

In summarizing his research on timewasters, Mackenzie ranked the top 10 in order of significance:

1. Telephone interruptions

2. Drop-in visitors

3. Meetings

4. Crises

5. Lack of objectives, priorities, and deadlines

6. Cluttered desk and personal disorganization

7. Ineffective delegation and involvement in routine and detail

8. Attempting too much at once and unrealistic time estimates

9. Lack of clear communication or instruction

10. Inadequate, inaccurate, and delayed information

 

Table 2-1. Timewaster Profile.

125 Major Food Corporation Managers No. Wt.
1. Crises/shifting priorities 66 196
2. Meetings 43 125
3. Lack of objectives, priorities, and deadlines 55 113
4. Telephone interruptions 38 108
5. Ineffective delegation and involvement in routine and detail 36 94
6. Drop-in visitors 43 90
7. Confused responsibility and authority 38 88
8. Inability to say “no” 31 75
9. Indecision/procrastination 24 63
10. Untrained, inadequate staff 13 45
11. Lack of clear communication or instruction 15 44
12. Socialization 14 40
13. Cluttered desk and personal disorganization 16 35
14. Inadequate, inaccurate, and delayed information 9 28
15. Attempting too much at once and unrealistic time estimates 11 26
16. Wanting all the facts 11 25
17. Lack of progress reviews 6 14
18. Multiple bosses 4 13
19. Failure to deal with poor performance 6 12
20. Overcontrol 2 10
21. Personnel changes 3 10
     
60 Electronic Communications Corporation Managers No. Wt.
1. Lack of objectives, priorities, and deadlines 38 118
2. Crises/shifting priorities 26 87
3. Drop-in visitors 30 75
4. Attempting too much at once and unrealistic time estimates 27 72
5. Indecision/procrastination 25 66
6. Lack of clear communication or instruction 22 65
7. Telephone interruptions 23 63
8. Ineffective delegation and involvement in routine and detail 24 59
9. Cluttered desk and personal disorganization 15 54
10. Confused responsibility and authority 17 45
11. Meetings 15 36
12. Socialization 10 26
13. Inadequate/untrained staff 10 25
     
75 School Administrators No. Wt.
1. Ineffective delegation and involvement in routine and detail 31 69
2. Telephone interruptions 30 57
3. Meetings 22 49
4. Drop-in visitors 19 42
5. Crises/firefighting/shifting priorities 18 33
6. Lack of objectives, priorities, and deadlines 13 30
7. Confused responsibilities 10 17
8. Paperwork 4 9
9. Indecision/procrastination 5 8
10. Lack of clear communication or instruction 3 8
     
50 Hospital Administrators No. Wt.
1. Telephone interruptions 40 164
2. Drop-in visitors 27 104
3. Ineffective delegation and involvement in routine and detail 34 89
4. Meetings 23 72
5. Inadequate/understaffed secretarial help 16 49
6. Lack of objectives, priorities, and deadlines 18 44
7. Attempting too much at once and unrealistic time estimates 19 43
8. Socialization 9 32
9. Cluttered desk and personal disorganization 12 31
10. Crises/switching priorities 13 29
11. Unable to say “no” 11 28
12. Inadequate, inaccurate, and delayed information 8 27
13. Procrastination/indecision 11 23
14. Lack of job description/duplication of effort/confused responsibilities/ responsibility without authority 8 23
15. Lack of teamwork/team conflict 7 20
16. Lack of clear communication or instruction 7 18
17. Lack of standards and conflicts/lack of feedback/failure to manage by exception 9 17
18. Failure to deal with poor performance 5 15
19. Lack of procedures and policies 4 11
20. Personnel problems 2 10
     
26 Women Managers No. Wt.
1. Telephone interruptions 25 60
2. Drop-in visitors 14 51
3. Crises/attempting too much/switching priorities 16 40
4. Responsibility without authority/confused responsibility/two bosses/lack of job description/duplication of effort 8 35
5. Ineffective delegation and involvement in routine and detail 10 33
6. Understaffed/no secretary 4 14
7. Incomplete information/lack of communication/lack of feedback 5 13
8. Meetings 2 7
9. Lack of objectives, priorities, and deadlines 2 7
10. Stacked desk/team conflict/unable to say “no”/socialization 1 4

 

According to supervisors and managers, the average amount of wasted time is between 10 percent and 50 percent, depending on the type of meeting. The highest percentage comes from those who attend departmental and staff meetings. The lowest percentage is for training meetings.

Don't—

discuss, in general sessions, subjects that are of interest to only a portion of the group. Allow time for special interest sessions.

Very seldom do people try to determine the cost of a meeting. For anyone interested, a machine, the Econometer, has been built to help compute the cost. It's a Danish-built machine designed to cut down on management meeting addiction by computing the total cost of meetings minute by minute. It considers the number of participants and their average annual salary. Installed in a conference room, the Econometer operates like an electricity meter—the higher the power consumption, the faster the disk rotates and the higher the bill becomes. The hourly prices of the meetings are set on two digital switches: the adjustment range is from $10 to $990 per hour, and the scoreboard covers meeting costs up to $9,900. The same kind of figures could be computed without a machine. And these kinds of figures would make a leader think twice before calling a meeting.

It's much more difficult (if not impossible) to compute the benefits that are derived from a meeting. Usually, the best that can be done is to evaluate subjectively the possible benefits in terms of better results that come from a productive meeting.

To realize the importance of making meetings as productive as possible, look at the waste of time and money if meetings are not effective. Chapter 1 lists three ingredients that make a meeting productive: Objectives are accomplished in minimum time with satisfied participants. Consider the cost if any one of these ingredients is not achieved.

Objectives Were Not Accomplished

The meeting was a failure. To calculate the cost of the meeting, multiply the salary of each person by the time spent and arrive at a dollar cost of the meeting. In addition, add the cost of the time of the leader plus the direct costs of the facilities, materials, aids, food, and so forth.

There may have been some side benefits that would have to be considered, but overall the meeting was a failure and all (or nearly all) of the costs are lost.

Time Was Wasted

Guesstimate the amount of wasted time, and multiply it by the salaries of the attendees to arrive at a dollar figure. Add the cost of other activities that could have been done if the time was not wasted and the meeting ended sooner. Also, add some indirect costs that come from participants who are annoyed and frustrated when time is wasted. It isn't always easy to judge wasted time because there is often a difference of opinion concerning it. For example, if a participant gives a lengthy comment that was not pertinent or could have been said in a few words, the leader or another participant could say it was a waste of time. The participant, however, might have felt that the lengthy explanation was necessary.

Perhaps the best way to determine wasted time is to ask, Did it help to contribute to the accomplishment of the objective? If not, the time was probably wasted.

Participants Were Not Satisfied

The third ingredient of an effective meeting presents a new dimension in judging wasted time.

What is the cost of dissatisfaction on the part of people who leave a meeting? There is no way of measuring it in dollars and cents. However, the cost might be much greater than those costs previously mentioned. Some or all of the following factors may be present:

images  A participant might resolve

— I won't come to the next meeting.

— I won't participate in future meetings if I'm forced to be there.

images  A participant might determine

— The leader is ineffective as a person (unprepared, unqualified, inefficient, arbitrary, etc.). This can affect future relationships with the leader and even the department that the leader represents.

— Meetings are a waste of time, and we ought to eliminate them.

All of these thoughts point to negative attitudes and low morale on the part of the participants. These attitudes can result in costly behavior, such as poor productivity, complaints to other people, negative attitudes in future meetings, and even turnover.

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