Resources

Let’s NOT Meet! Tips for Avoiding Unnecessary Meetings

By Michael Wilkinson, CMF

Managing Director, Leadership Strategies, Inc.

Have you ever sat through a meeting and wondered, “Why are we having this meeting?  What a waste of time!” Meetings take time and tie up resources. Unfortunately, many call meetings without having a clear picture of the goal for the meeting or an understanding of whether a meeting is really necessary.  If a quality result can be achieved without holding a meeting, let’s NOT meet! Use the tips that follow to avoid having unnecessary meetings.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Calling a Meeting

  • What is my purpose in calling the meeting?  What are the products to be produced?
  • Is it possible to achieve the purpose without a meeting?
  • Is the purpose worth the time and resources that the meeting will consume?

Eliminating Status Meetings

  • If the meeting is truly “information only,” consider distributing a memo instead or using voice mail.
  • If little action has taken place between status meetings, consider making meetings less frequent.

Eliminating Working Meetings and Strategy Meetings

  • Make analysis assignments and perform the analysis outside of a meeting.
  • Document a preliminary decision in written form and circulate it for comment.

When You are Asked to Attend a Meeting

  • Request the meeting’s purpose and product in advance.
  • If you think it is possible to achieve the meeting purpose and product without meeting, suggest an alternative.

 

You can learn more about masterful meetings – the book and our training classes – at www.masterfulmeetings.com.

Michael Wilkinson is the Managing Director of Leadership Strategies – The Facilitation Company, and a much sought after trainer, facilitator and speaker.  He is a Certified Master Facilitator and a Certified Professional Facilitator.  As a past president of the Southeast Association of Facilitators and a board member of the National Institute of Facilitation, Michael is a national leader in the facilitation industry.  You can get more tips from either of Michael’s books, The Secrets of Facilitation or The Secrets to Masterful Meetings. You can receive a signed copy through our website.