Increasing the Efficiency of Business Meetings

Take any business meeting you had in the last few days. A staff gathering, an internal committee, a planning session or an executive summit. What were your thoughts?

• Great. Can’t wait to start the project.
• What exactly did Jones say…?
• Aargh! Can’t stand this waffling.

The object of a business meeting is to integrate various interdependent tasks and to make it happen information continually needs to be discussed, disseminated, and dispersed within the organisation. The convenience of a formal gathering is an ideal vehicle to deal with such efficiently. However, here are a few sobering figures:

• The average office worker attends 62 meeting per month
• Attention starts to drift after only 11 minutes
• A full 49% of time spent in meetings is considered wasted

Estimates are that in the US alone $37 Billion of time is lost every year through unproductive meetings. 

Often workers formally get together for the sake of getting together. Or regular meetings fall into a routine while its original purpose has long been forgotten.

Mitchell’s law states: “Any simple problem can be made insoluble if enough meetings are held to discuss it.”

How can the inefficiency be reduced? When I lead business meetings here is what I keep in mind, distinguishing between structural and human aspects.

Structural Aspects

Clarity of purpose. The reason and purpose for convening should be made clear before the gathering, and importantly, re-stated by the leader of the meeting at the start. Is it to inform people, make certain decisions and take actions, or to brainstorm a problem? Clarity of purpose includes sticking to the agenda and not letting the discussions drift. Most important is to have a clear agenda and objectives sent out beforehand.

Invite the right people, and only the right people. Invite the right decision makers and only those that need to be there to influence the issues to be discussed. If it is purely information spreading, see what can be sent by email instead of communicated orally. Alternatively, task those present to communicate further in the organisation. If more of a brainstorming session, have a diverse crowd into the meeting – the results will be so much better.

Send action items out afterwards. Precise actions, with timelines and allocated to responsible individuals. The ideal number of people to handle a responsibility is one; no shirking and no waiting for others to do their part. Send tasks immediately after convening. Action points sent out weeks after the event is a wish-list. Hendrickson’s law of meetings says: “If a problem causes too many meetings, the meetings eventually become more important than the problem”.

Human Aspects

Social interaction. An organisation is not only a business seeking profit but also a social community. People want to relate, converse and feel part of the shared beliefs and values. Meetings are an ideal time to catch-up and strengthen social ties. Some social interaction, some humor and even a little complaining can go a long way in unifying the group and purpose. Allow for some informal bonding at the start and then get back to the formal agenda.

Informal information gathering. Attendees often do not come into contact much, if any, outside of the meeting room. As firms become more matrixed and cross-functional, employees want to know what is happening in other parts of the organisation and a formal gathering is a good place to put radars out. One way to stem this is to mention there will be opportunity for informal talk after completion of the agenda. Ironically, by which time energy has become dissipated and the urge to "get back to work" is stronger.

Status displays. Meetings rooms are the ideal place for some to strut their knowledge, show off ranking and enjoy (imagined) attention while dispensing timeless wisdom and insight. More than one person seeking undue attention and a bonfire of vanities ensues. Displays of status and a need to be competitive in all situations, must surely rank as top reasons for inefficiency. It takes confidence and skill to sway such behaviors where it contributes little to the discussion, and it seldom does. “Ok, we heard you, now let’s move on”.

Leading a business meeting is certainly not easy and it takes effort. There has been the occasional disaster when I lead, but more often than not the six points above keep the forum functioning and efficient. 

What are your ideas and comments on the efficiency of business meetings? 

(Source of statistics: Harvard Business Review: Guide to Making Every Meeting Matter and www.actionfraction.co.uk)