There are several useful insights in the book Death by Meeting by Patrick Lecioni (2004).  In fact, I found myself chuckling at times when I read the book because I could identify so strongly with what the author was saying. 

Just two nights ago I was in a meeting that lasted 2 hours and which could have easily concluded after 60 minutes.  There was no agenda.  There were no minutes.  Action items were thrust about the room hoping to find a home in the heart and mind of a willing soul.  Don’t get me wrong.  The meeting was not a complete waste of time.  I met two gentlemen and learned a little about each of their backgrounds.  So, from a social point of view, the meeting was grand.  But from an efficiency/effectiveness point of view—not so good. 

Here are three premises from the book: 

• Meetings are boring and ineffective
• Meetings are boring because they lack drama (or conflict)
  • Most leaders of meetings want to avoid tension
  • In fact, leaders of meetings should provoke constructive conflict
• Meetings are ineffective because they lack contextual structure
  • Thus, to be effective as meeting leaders, we should have multiple types of meetings, each with its own purpose format and timing.
  • The author suggests Four Types of Meetings

The Four Meetings 

Meeting #1—The Daily Check-In (Note this may not be practical for every organization)

• Team members get together each morning for 5 minutes for a stand-up meeting to report on their planned activities for that day. 
• Promotes clarity among priorities for that day
• Ensures nothing falls through the cracks
• Eliminates the need for time-consuming e-mail about schedule coordination
• No more than 5 minutes in length (hence the reason to stay standing)
• Try The Daily Check-In for at least 2 months before evaluating its worth

Meeting #2 –The Weekly Tactical

• Goals for this meeting: Resolution of Issues and Reinforcement of Clarity
• NOTE: Do not discuss long-term strategic issues at this meeting
• 45-90 minutes in length
• Includes the Lightning Round
  • A quick, around-the-table reporting session where each person explains their 2 or 3 priorities for the week (in 60 seconds or less)
  • Note: Do not get bogged down in detail
• Progress Review
  • Routine reporting of critical information on 4-6 KEY metrics, for example:
    • Revenue
    • Expenses
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Inventory
    • Your particular metrics will depend on your industry, etc.
  • No more than 5 minutes each (quick clarifications are ok, but no lengthy discussions)
• Real-Time Agenda
  • After the Lightning Round and the Progress Review—create the Agenda.
  • Allow the agenda to take shape based on what everyone is currently working on and on how the organization is performing against its goals
  • Focus on the select few important issues that will “pop out.”
  • Fight the urge to develop an advance agenda!
  • Table strategic issues as they come up (put them on a list of possible topics for the Monthly Strategic Meeting)

Meeting #3—The Monthly Strategic (4-6 hours)

• Now’s the time to analyze, debate, and decide upon critical issues (but only a few) that affect the business in fundamental ways
• Dig into a topic deeply without thinking about deadlines and tactics
• Schedule at least 2 hours per topic
• If a critical issue arises in a Weekly Tactical meeting that can’t wait for the next scheduled Monthly Strategic meeting—call an ad hoc Strategic meeting.
• Note—only 1 or 2 items on the agenda.
• Hold each person accountable to be thoroughly prepared for this meeting.
• Promote constructive conflict!

Meeting #4—The Quarterly Off-Site Review (2 days each quarter)

• Topics for this meeting might include:
  • Comprehensive Strategy Review
  • Team Review (how well is the Executive Team performing)
  • Personnel Review (Discuss key employees)
  • Competitive and Industry Review
• Challenges
  • Don’t over-structure the meetings (no formal presentations and white papers)
  • Don’t make this a boondoggle (extensive travel coupled with too many social activities)
  • Keep outsiders away (except perhaps for the use of an outside facilitator so that the leader of the team can participate fully in the discussions).

By following the above ideas, you’ll find that meetings can actually be time SAVERS.

Keith