Time is the most precious resource we have, much more so then money.  It is possible to make more money, but time, once spent is forever lost to us.

And yet, every organization that I have ever been in talks about how bad meetings are.  How many meetings everybody has to attend, never knowing what the topic is or the outcome.  Add to this the challenges with a global workplace and the technology glitches for telecommuting and it is easy to see why meetings are generally unproductive and considered a necessary evil, a form of inescapable corporate tax.  (see here: youtube-tripp-tyler)

Or is it?

Productive meetings happen by design.  It is possible to structure the meetings to produce better outcomes.  This is by no means the only way to solve this challenge – it is just the way I have seen work.

Step 1.  Know your meeting type

Step 2. Do your POGS

Step 3. Facilitate, don’t drive

Step 4. Check for improvement

Step 1. Know your meeting type

I break all meetings down to three types: Meetings to Inform, Meetings for a Decision, and Meetings for Discovery.  One common mistake is to think that just because you have a 1 hour session that it is one meeting.  Instead, think of the one hour time block as just that, a time block to give access to all of the critical people you need where you may run several mini-meetings.

Focus the time where someone is simply providing context (meeting to inform) in preparation for a decision.  Then challenge / prep the context setting elements to the critical few points in support of making the upcoming decision.  This alone can be incredibly valuable to prevent the dreaded time suck of the “report out”.  Remember, not only is a meeting expensive (8 people x 1 hour meeting = 1 workday), it is also precious – maximize your time!

Step 2. Know your POGS

When I first learned about POGS I rolled my eyes.  And, as I began to run more and more meetings with higher and higher profile I really began to appreciate them for the clarity that they help to bring.

• Purpose: stated reason to be there
• Objective (or Outcome): targeted outcome of the meeting (divide into points to inform vs. decisions made or product produced)
• Givens (or Goals): givens are useful for common assumptions/scope.  Goals are usually my private thoughts (aka, get Team to be aligned on some topic)
• Supplies: The supplies / printouts / wall prints, etc. that you will need to run the meeting.

It may seem silly to do this, and, trust me the more you do it the more valuable your meetings will become.

Step 3. Facilitate, don’t drive

This is the hardest one to do, especially the more knowledgeable about the subject area you are.  A meeting is an opportunity to pull together diverse perspectives and experience to solve some problem, and yet, in most of our meetings we fail to tap into the wisdom of the group effectively.  A good facilitator has the ability to manage the clock and the room to make sure that all voices are heard and no single voice dominates the floor.  This takes time and practice to develop the skills here but they are well worth the effort.

Step 4. Check for Improvement

Always look for ways to improve.  I close out my meetings with the following ritual:

• Confirm decision items
• Confirm the “by-when/by-who” for action items
• Review the “Objective” statement of the POGS – check with the group if they felt the objective was met
• Leave with an open-ended request on how the meeting time could be made for effective (invite them to speak to me offline)

These simple steps keep the meeting time action oriented with an eye towards continuous learning.

Cheers!