Mistakes You’re Probably Making When Scheduling A Meeting
Another day, another meeting. Sure, some feel like a complete waste of time, but how about the ones that leave you frustrated, resentful–even hungry?
While you might not be able to get rid of meetings altogether, leaders have the power to reduce meeting fatigue. Here are some of the most common complaints with potential solutions;
NO GOOD REASON FOR A MEETING
Do you really need to meet, or are you just checking in? Skip the status updates and use collaborative task tracking software to learn how projects are progressing.
For those team members whose tasks are updated and on schedule, they will receive extra time to get their work done. This allows you to focus your time connecting with the individuals behind schedule and those who aren’t reporting progress.
NOT HONORING PEOPLE’S TIME
People are busy. Focus on the outcome. Ask yourself what you want to get out of the meeting and design the agenda based on that result.
Circulate the agenda in advance of the meeting, along with pertinent background information to frame the discussion, and focus it further with three key discussion points. Give people the chance to review materials and come prepare to the meeting to discuss its implications on the organization and what to do about it.
BAD TIMING
Scheduling a meeting around lunchtime and not offering food can lead to hungry, disinterested, and entitled employees. Note hunger is a self-focused state, where a person is thinking of their own needs and not about others.
Hunger levels fluctuate throughout the day, so as people’s sense of entitlement seems to fluctuate along with their hunger. Expecting a contentious meeting? Wait until after lunch.
INVITING THE WRONG PEOPLE
Limit the number of attendees to the people who need to be at the meeting. It’s not a get together party not everyone and their brother need to be at the meeting. Be thoughtful about who you invite.
Ask yourself questions like, will they add value? Do they have subject matter expertise? Does someone else already fill this role?”
FAILING TO CONSIDER THE COST
If you consider a one-hour meeting is a very small percentage of an employee’s annual salary, that’s only one cost of the meeting. You’re also failing to account for the opportunity cost–what that person could be working on if they weren’t stuck in an unproductive meeting.
Trimming the invite list, focusing the agenda, and shortening the meeting by 15 minutes can make a financial impact.
NO FOLLOW-UP
There’s nothing worse than getting through a meeting where an issue was decided and then . . . nothing happens. To avoid this problem, it’s recommended to ask three questions at the end of the meeting and making note of the responses:
- What’s the next action?
- Who’s responsible?
- When’s the due date?
Creating accountability publicly is the best motivator as the questions and answers are recorded. Missing a deadline when nobody knows about it and missing one when its public create two vastly different scenarios. Odds are very high, public deadlines are met more often than not.
