“Why did we even meet at all?” I wondered as the interminable meeting finally concluded. Other times I have asked, “Why am I in this meeting?” And too often I have asked: “Why were X, Y, and Z in the meeting?”

Tired of time-wasting meetings? You’re not alone. It’s time for a revolution!

Revolutionary idea #1 – Imagine that each person in the meeting is worth $1000/hour. Then decide if the proposed meeting is worth that, or if this topic/decision could be handled by e-mail or a unilateral decision. Status updates should be accomplished via e-mail. If a meeting is necessary, who are the bare minimum of people who MUST be in the meeting? Then create an agenda that minimizes the meeting time and maximizes the outcome – what result do you need from the meeting?

Revolutionary idea #2 – For every person that “could” have been invited but you chose not to invite, send them a note that says that they can claim they’re in a meeting with you. BUT during the time that they are not meeting with you, they need to become a consultant worth $1000/hour. They should dream up something that will propel your organization forward, for example, a new product or service or an idea to empower people or reduce waste.

Revolutionary idea #3 – After your meeting is over, contact each creativity consultant non-participant and ask what they dreamed up. Give a hokey prize to the best idea. After a couple iterations, people will start taking you seriously, and your resulting impact on your organization should be breathtaking.

When you do meet, insist that the meeting design use the classic three P’s for effective meetings, plus my own 4th P:

• Purpose – clearly stated.
• Preparation – agenda published 24 hours in advance, and all supporting materials delivered in time to be read. Meeting agenda should clearly state what each participant should bring.
• Presentation – clear, focused, concise. This does NOT mean that socializing in meetings is counterproductive. On the contrary, PEOPLE make things happen, and people are social animals, so socializing is an absolutely vital part of any meeting. Finish with a call to action – next steps – SMART goals.
• Participation – ensure that all attendees participate at the appropriate level.

What do you think? Ready to start a meeting revolution?

Gary