The Secret to Highly Productive Meetings
A few weeks back, some friends and I got together after work. After an hour or so of chatting, we randomly started talking about work meetings. You know the ones – the meetings that feel more like a lecture with a quick Q&A at the end than an actual discussion.
Our friend, Ethan, a newcomer to the working world, wasn’t a fan of them – the boss at the lead, with everyone else going along with them, keeping a low profile, and doing what they were told.
Ethan was quick to point out how things have changed. With the platforms like Zoom, he said, there's no need to uproot our schedules or change our locations just for a meeting.
He also thought that pre-recorded video memos could effectively replace the lecture-style meetings and added that they could be played back, sped up, or even transcribed.
Susan, our resident HR veteran, surprisingly agreed with Ethan but added her own twist. She noted that despite the move to Zoom and other digital platforms, many meetings just end up being their offline counterparts with their one-sided lecture format, rigid time structure, and few people engaged.
Drawing from her experience and surveys she’s read, Susan mentioned that employees often find endless online meetings the most exhausting aspect of remote work. "No one appreciates a monologue disguised as dialogue," she quipped, and we all found ourselves nodding in agreement.
Our friend George, who had a fair share of experience leading teams, drew our attention to the meeting culture at most workplaces, suggesting that it is often about maintaining control and avoiding the challenge of real connection.
He echoed sentiments I'd read in Seth Godin book Song of Significance where he said truly meaningful meetings are ones that happen in real-time, with only the necessary people, where everyone gets a chance to listen and speak. It should be a place for making decisions, not just sharing information.
As we all shared our stories and views, a unanimous understanding emerged: active participation is the key to successful meetings. We individually need to strive to be fully present, to interact earnestly, and resist the urge to multitask during meetings. It can be a challenge, but it is necessary.
However, despite these individual efforts, meetings cannot be truly meaningful unless change comes from the top. Managers set the tone of a meeting and it is only those in charge who can truly make a meeting significant.
Here are a few ideas on how to make a meeting more meaningful:
1. Encourage participation: Instead of just talking at your team, foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable voicing their thoughts and ideas. Ask for opinions. And when they offer them, actively recognize their contribution. This simple act can encourage others to share their thoughts as well.
2. Use digital tools effectively: Make use of the chat function during video calls and encourage employees to use reaction icons, like a thumbs up, to express agreement or understanding, without interrupting the speaker. This can also make introverted team members more comfortable with sharing views. In-meeting polls can be created for quick feedback or decision making and screensharing and digital whiteboards can easily be used to show ideas or concepts.
3. Meet briefly, and only when necessary: Short meetings, where only the most essential people are in attendance, keeps everyone engaged and focussed. Consider using email or video memos that employees can access at any time when only one-sided information sharing is required.
4. Next steps: When a meeting occurs, make sure collaborative discussion occurs, decisions are made, and that everyone leaves with a clear understanding of their next steps. A quick email or message summarizing the main points and individual responsibilities can be helpful. Popular project management tools like Asana or Trello can also be used to assign tasks and track progress.
By following these suggestions, you may find that your meetings may start evolve from dreary obligations into productive, engaging dialogues that lead to better teamwork and job satisfaction.
So, as a challenge this week, I invite you to consider how you can modify the way you hold your meetings. How can you move away from a lecture-like structure and encourage a more interactive, engaging conversation? Which step might you take?
Start small. Even one change can help you move toward a more harmonious work atmosphere that fosters strong bonds within your team.
Who knows, with a bit of effort, you could turn your next work meeting into something people are actually excited for. After all, we've got all the tools we need - we just have to use them in the right way.
Best wishes, Lauren
P.S. The task of cultivating a positive workplace culture can be a challenge, but it doesn't have to be. We can help. We offer free initial 30-minute consultations to begin the process of creating a tailored plan for your organization. Reach out to learn more.