Over the course of your career, how many hours do you think you have wasted in meetings that you did not really need to attend? Take a moment to add it up and you will probably end up with a number that is scarily high. Global studies show that employees are spending on average 31 hours a month in meetings and an incredible 50% of that time is considered wasted. A survey done by doodle in 2019 supports this notion. It found that 15% of meeting time is spent off-topic, and 45% of respondents believed that meetings were their biggest time wasting activity. Ineffective meetings are a significant financial burden globally too. In the US alone it is estimated that businesses lose about $37bn a year due to unproductive meetings.
Of course, the quantum of meetings varies hugely across industries, roles, sectors, personnel seniority and project. But as Project Managers we play a key role in establishing what meetings happen on a project, when, where & why. We therefore shoulder much of the burden for changing these statistics and making our project meetings more efficient, productive & cost effective. As Project Managers - and therefore meeting organisers - we need to get better at taking time to go back to basics and learn the fundamental skills and activities required for excellent meeting organisation and management.
Meetings, of course, are essential to the success of any project. They provide an opportunity for knowledge sharing, communication and collaboration. They enhance performance by encouraging teamwork and provide a forum for problem solving and idea generation. They can be an effective way of bringing together different perspectives to enhance decision making and promote accountability. Importantly, meetings also provide an opportunity to build relationships – to listen, challenge, respond and keep a project moving towards a common goal.
But a meeting is only ever as good as its execution. Poor meetings can lead to frustration and reduced productivity. They can result in wasted time and distract from an end goal, hampering performance in unproductive ‘busyness’. Most worryingly, poor meetings can lead to demotivation and stress, negatively impacting job satisfaction and overall wellbeing.
More than ever, in a post COVID19 world, we have forgotten the basics about good meeting management. There is more to setting up a meeting than simply sticking a one hour slot in people’s diaries every time a problem comes up. And there is more to running a meeting than simply providing a forum for people to be together.
So what are the essentials of good meeting management?
- Meetings today take many different formats. They can be in person, via video conferencing, over the phone or hybrid versions of the above. They can be one to one, a small targeted group, or any number of attendees. They can take place in an office, in a café/restaurant or whilst taking a walk. So, as you are setting up a meeting, think about what the most appropriate format is for the agenda and the desired output.
- Meetings do not have to be (and should not be) an hour by default. Some of the most effective meetings can last no longer than 10 minutes. So before you send out an invite, thinking seriously about how long you need to discuss the issue at hand and adjust the invite accordingly. Importantly, once the duration has been set, respect people’s time stick to this timeframe.
- Make sure that all necessary information is included in the invite. At a minimum include date, time, location, attendees, dial in details (if applicable), project and subject matter. And if you are discussing a certain document or drawing, attach it! People's workload varies but you can make it easy for them to turn up prepared.
- Consult on meeting times and dates. Landing a meeting in someone’s diary cold and without context will not result in an efficient meeting. Make sure they are informed and available before issuing out an invite.
- Think seriously about the attendee list. Only add those that are necessary and consider adjusting the agenda to allow people who only need to be there for one of two items on the agenda to join late or leave early so they can continue being productive.
- Never hold a meeting without circulating an agenda a few days beforehand. If your team do not know what the meeting is about and what to prepare in advance, then the meeting can easily become redundant and end up wasting time.
- Always follow a meeting with a set of concise meeting minutes that confirm decisions made and allocates actions and due dates. Avoid any other unnecessary narrative in your minutes and try to get these circulated within 48 hours of the meeting.
- Give respite between meetings. Leave 20-30 minute gaps so your team can take time to hydrate, eat, get fresh air, look away from the screen, rest or work through their own to-do list. It feels contradictory but your meetings will become more concise and productive if you do.
Time is precious. It is the one commodity that we can never get back. So let's go back to basics and make sure that our meetings are necessary, effective and efficient. I can promise that your team will thank you for it.