Meetings

Formalising meeting rituals can enhance empowerment rather than constraining it. Establishing new habits to replace old ones is essential for driving meaningful change.

Plan

Do	Don't
Have one person own the meeting (facilitator) Be a good participant Have one conversation at a time & listen to others Arrive on time	Use phones/laptops/devices – unless required for the meeting Have side conversations Try to help the facilitator by taking over Check emails and texts

• Do You Need a Meeting? Consider whether a meeting is truly necessary. Have you assessed the situation adequately? Do you require external input to progress? If real-time conversation is essential, does it warrant a face-to-face or video conference?

• Define Your Objectives: Clearly articulate what you aim to achieve. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals is crucial.

• Timeboxing: Allocate the minimum time needed to achieve the objectives. Research shows that when given a specific timeframe, people tend to utilise it efficiently. Time constraints can spur creative bursts and increase productivity. Consider reducing meeting durations by half to enhance effectiveness.

• Attendance: Ensure you have the right participants. Reflect on whether your presence will influence the outcome. If your attendance—or that of any attendee—would hinder effectiveness, reconsider participation. It’s vital to communicate declines for reasons of transparency.

Pre-Publish Agendas

• Preparation Communication: Inform attendees about necessary preparations. Set expectations to ensure they approach the meeting with the right mindset and understand how they can contribute value. Participants should feel free to decline if they believe they won't add value to the meeting.

Do

Staying on Track

• Manage the Discussion: If conversations veer off-topic, use a “parking lot” method to capture irrelevant points for future discussion. Ensure the objective is clearly presented and frequently referenced throughout the meeting to maintain focus.

Monitor and Measure

• Assess Engagement: Regularly evaluate whether the meeting is meeting its objectives. Consider how attendees are thinking, feeling, and acting. Ask yourself:

  • Think: What knowledge will attendees gain?

  • Feel: What lasting impressions will they have?

  • Do: What actions will they take following the meeting?

Check

Find and Fix

• Encourage Engagement: Use visual reminders and notifications to foster participant engagement.

Results

• Documentation: Ensure you document the results of the meeting. Provide attendees with clear action steps moving forward.

Map Back to Objective

• Confirm that outcomes align with your measurable communication objectives and SMART goals. Assess whether participants are taking action and, ideally, feeling inspired.

Act

Reflect

• After the meeting, reflect on the overall experience. Consider what aspects worked well and what didn’t and any missing elements that could enhance future meetings.

• Capture lessons learned to improve future meetings.

Outputs

• Actions

• Decisions

• Designs

• Documents

• Brainstorms

• Procedures

• Checklists

• Room/Meeting Links

• Objectives

• Agendas

• Timeboxed Sessions

• Preparation in Advance

• Discussion Moderation: Ensure everyone has an opportunity to engage.

• Confirmation of Decisions and Actions: Establish clear follow-up expectations.

Radical Meetings

• Innovative Timing: Start meetings at unconventional times, such as ten past or twenty to the hour. Limit timeboxes to 15 minutes or less, and encourage standing or walking during discussions.

• Single Agenda Item: Focus on one agenda item with a clearly defined goal, and conclude the meeting as soon as that goal is achieved.