The Right Way to Have a Meeting

Admit it: A number of us complain about the meetings we have to attend. However, there must be a memory, distant though it might be, of a meeting you participated in that had the key people in the room, went by quickly and actually produced a result.

Here are some questions to ask to have the right kind of meeting:

Question #1: Is a meeting the “right” thing to do?

One of the ways to figure out the answer to that question is to make sure you understand the purpose of pulling people together. A meeting can often achieve better communication around a topic, which in turn can lead to better decision-making. A meeting, especially those at which most of the people are physically present, allows greater transparency, since all the key communication components are present: words, tone and body language. Even though we often rue the time spent in meetings, a well-run meeting with the right players present can actually be less time-consuming than following, and then interpreting, the multiple threaded emails discussing the same topic. Which leads me to Question #2.

Question #2: Are the right people here?

You want people in the room who have either or both of two attributes, specifically: the knowledge to inform and move the discussion forward, or the ability — that is, the authority — to make a decision. If the person can’t be either a key contributor or a decision-maker, he or she does not belong in the meeting. A key contributor might be someone from another area of the business who will bring a different perspective to the conversation and therefore enhance the overall thought process — and ultimately the decision-making.

Question #3: Is it the right time for a meeting?

This is not about people’s individual circadian clock, although, in today’s global economy, being aware of who might be dialed in when they ideally would be sleeping is a consideration. What I’m referring to is whether, at this particular time in a project or in a process, a meeting is the right action or intervention. Updates are often better done in a succinctly written document. Trouble-shooting an obstacle can usually be accomplished in a one-on-one conversation with two or multiple players.