There are certain signs that indicate that you’re moving up in the professional world.  You start to make more money, you drive a newer car, you might even have your own office instead of squatting in the middle of a desolate cube farm. And you start going to meetings. Lots of meetings. Like every day, throughout the day, you meet. Whether it’s in person, over the phone or in video conference, the more you advance, the more you meet. And meet, and meet some more.

How does a guy survive all those meetings? Why do we have so damn many meetings anyway?  What can be done to make these interminable meetings any better?

Be Better Guys has a few answers for leading, and even attending, an effective meeting, both from what we’ve seen work and what we’ve done ourselves. I worked for a boss most recently, who, while she was a terrific motivator who stood up for her team like a pit bull defends a raw Ribeye dinner, ran awful, meetings.  She droned on and on with excessive level of detail, she often made the environments way to formal, such that we had to do presentations instead of solving major team issues, and she rarely let the other team members speak. So from those and other experiences, our tips for running and attending a productive meeting.

First and Foremost, Stop Meeting So Damn Much! Bosses have way too many meetings and concalls to get status updates and check in on any issues. What’s really happening during those types of meetings is folks are doing their email. So if you become a boss, only call a meeting when you have a really specific problem to solve, such as “How we will penetrate this new market?” or “Strategies to put our competition completely out of business.”

Set the Agenda, Stick to the Agenda. My boss would say, “Oh, would you look at that, we’re already off our agenda schedule and we’re only in our first hour!” with a giggle.  No.  If you’re a boss, you plan an agenda so that you have time limits on topics.   If it’s not solved within the allotted time, decide if you want to keep discussing the matter, but don’t just keep on keepin’ on.  Come to consensus and go from there.

Get in, Get Out, Move On. Meetings gather momentum, then lose it. The shorter the meeting, the better. An hour for a more intimate group is usually plenty, and a half day with the team, if run effectively and without waste, is about right.

Put Down the Projector, Step Away From the Conference Table. Best meeting I ever had, ever, was in a hotel room. Seriously. My boss had a suite and the team crammed in on couches and chairs and informally held our team meeting, and it was the most relaxed, productive, problem-solving meeting I’ve ever been in. If you’re a boss or just on the team, suggest that you meet somewhere other than "ye olde conference room." No slides, no handouts, no standing up in front of the room presenting your revenue plan for the next fiscal year. Just a comfortable, relaxed, effective meeting.

What About The Guys Who Won’t Shut-Up? Every group has a knob who wants to dominate and show that he or she is ready to be the next team manager. This person usually monopolizes conversation. Stop him or her right in those tracks by interrupting and saying, “Great point, Dick, let’s see how the rest of the team feels.” Then ask someone directly for his or her opinion. 

Some People Just Don’t Say Anything.  I understand those people, because interestingly, I’m one of ‘em.  In a big group, I shut up. I wait to speak until given the opportunity and rarely do I barge in on conversation to show that I’m part of the team.  Some people say very little because they don’t want to risk saying the wrong thing and to protect their position. Me, I don’t speak in those situations because I don’t like to get competitive with others for airtime. Regardless, if you’re a manager, ask the quiet ones what’s on their minds, and if you’re a quiet one, like I tend to be, pick your place during the day and get engaged. You don’t have to dominate the conversation, just don’t sit by idly. Silence can be construed by a boss and by teammates more negatively (you don’t care or you’re not plugged in enough to have anything meaningful to add) than saying something that’s kind of off base but that shows you’re in the game.

Should a Meeting End Early if We’re Done Talking? Yes. That means it was a good meeting!

How Do I Know the Conference Call I Held Was a Good One? Because you solved the problem that brought everyone together in the first place. You needed to get some dates on the calendar to plan a customer visit? You did that. You need to plan ways with colleagues to make more money this year? Check. You talked about whether holding on to Mushin Muhammad on your fantasy football team is worth the gamble?  No. Not unless the call was, in fact, with your fantasy football crew. 

Now get back on point!