Igor Mann on how to hold meetings profitably
Printed 2016-05-20
Igor Mann: Meetings
How to conduct effective meetings? I generally try to avoid meetings, but this is the first rule of effective meetings - try not to organize them. If you can do without a meeting, you can do with a call, or you can do with skype conversation or just electronic correspondence. But if I have to participate in a meeting, you have two roles in which you can participate in the meeting. The first role - you are the organizer, and the second - you are a participant. Well, let's talk today about being an organizer. I want to share with you some tips that will help you in the event to make the meeting more effective.
First, it must have an agenda. It is advisable to devote the meeting to one particular issue, the purpose of our meeting is to enter a new city. Second - try to invite people for some unusual time, not at 17 o'clock, but at 17.15. well, promise that the meeting will certainly end at five to eight, and accordingly, people can leave home on time. In general, I believe that the worst idea that company executives can afford is to hold meetings during off-hours, ie until 9 o'clock the meeting does not need to be held; after 18 o'clock, it is also not necessary to hold them. During non-working hours and on weekends to hold meetings, well, if only a strategic session.
Next: be sure to have a person who keeps the minutes of the meeting, and after the meeting ends, you must send out the agenda of the meeting, the results of the meeting, the results of the negotiations , the results of the meeting to all those present. And the next meeting must necessarily begin with the fact that we are returning to this protocol, look at what agreements were reached, what we were able to do. The most important thing is once again, if the meeting was devoted to any one issue, to leave this meeting with a clear, understandable plan of action. We know what we do, we know when we do, we know who does it. And accordingly, it is very important that this meeting does not turn into a waste of time, and after which some real work begins.
Well, the last piece of advice that I want to give you, I don't know, will you use it or not, try holding the next meeting while standing. It is impossible, absolutely impossible to be unfounded, to pour water and just to speak some blah blah blah when you are standing. Everyone just feels discomfort, and as soon as a person begins to pour from empty to empty, everyone starts to look at him and talk, come on specifically, come on the merits. So did Berlusconi, when he headed the prime minister, was the prime minister of Italy. I think you can try to do the same. A little such a challenge, but I think everyone will like it, including you, because there will be no water.
I summarize: the meeting should be an effective tool, otherwise people will do as I told to you at the very beginning, they will try to avoid them. I avoided ineffective meetings because my superiors could not organize them correctly. Do not be such a boss.
© Igor Mann
