Making meetings productive
1. The first rule of meeting is we don’t talk about meeting.
2. The second rule of meetings is we don’t talk about meetings.
We’re there to do something not to schedule more meetings. State the purpose of the meeting up front. Decide what you want to get done and get to it.
3. If someone says STOP, or goes limp, taps out the meeting is over.
Everyone who’s at the meeting needs to want to be there. If you don’t want to be there you’re not going to contribute and it’s going to waste everyones time.
4. Only five people to a meeting.
Three contributors, two stakeholders. Any more and it’s a presentation (very different.) Meetings with 8, 10 or more people tend not to be as productive, less gets decided and more time is wasted.
5. One meeting at a time.
No dashing off to another meeting or double booking.
6. No cell phones, no email.
7. A meeting goes 45 minutes, no longer.
You get diminishing returns for more. Leave the extra 15 min just in case.
8. If you’re in the meeting you have to talk.
Right on the money!
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