RULE 5
. . . No, really effective
Right, now you’re sure this meeting is necessary, and what it’s for, let’s keep it as brief and effective as possible.
Hold all meetings at the end of the day rather than at the beginning. Everyone’s anxious to be off home and it keeps meetings shorter; at the beginning of the day everyone has ages to digress and chat. Unless of course it is a bonding meeting; you can cheerfully hold them at the beginning of business.
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 than 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.
You decide who keeps the minutes – and make sure they do, and to your 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 make a decision of course.
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.
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.
START ALL MEETINGS
ON TIME. NEVER WAIT
FOR ANYONE
* The Toad, having finished his breakfast, picked up a stout stick and swung it vigorously, belabouring imaginary animals. ‘I’ll learn ’em to steal my house!’ he cried. ‘I’ll learn ’em, 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 teach ‘em,’ replied the Badger. ‘We want to LEARN ’em – learn ’em, learn ’em! And what’s more, we’re going to DO it, too!’ (The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame).