Collaboration is the key to success for businesses that want to be innovative and profitable. Conflict associated with poor communication causes over 40% of workers to redo work, which takes time, money, and energy. This commentary addresses how to ensure clear, specific guidance that has been thought out to avoid rework, lost time, greater expense, poor productivity, and employee frustration.
Clear and detailed meeting agendas and goals
In a survey of 2,190 full-time knowledge workers aged 18 to 64 in firms with at least 10 employees, one clear finding is the need for clear and detailed agendas and goals in business meetings. This begs the question of what should go into an agenda, by whom, for a specific group of meeting participants, and what is the purpose of the meeting. What are participant expectations regarding actions after the meeting? Who is going to follow up, and by what date?
How to have the most effective meetings with clear actions
Chapter 7 of the book The Servant Manager, 203 tips from the best places to work in America focuses on how to make the most out of meetings. The chapter offers 14 very specific tips. Here is a sample:
Tip 77 Avoid the Top Ten Most Frequently Reported Meeting Problems*
1. Starting late
2. Getting off the subject
3. No goals or agenda
4. Too lengthy
5. Poor or inadequate preparation
6. Inconclusive
7. Disorganized
8. Ineffective leadership or lack of control
9. Irrelevance of information discussed
10. Time wasted during meetings
After your meeting, ask for a critique of what worked and what did not. You might ask your employees if they thought the meeting was too lengthy.
Some companies use a “+” and triangle – the symbol for change as two headings on a flip chart on a whiteboard. Under the “+” heading, place positive comments from the participants. Under the triangle, place comments identifying concerns. Discuss these items so that improvements can be made for next time.
*See The Servant Manager, 203 tips from the best places to work in America
Tip 78 Assesses Yourself as the Meeting Leader*
This is your chance to evaluate yourself before we go any further. Take the test below and rate yourself.
Yes | No | Question |
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| Are there clear objectives for the meeting? |
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| Do I involve other members of the team in developing objectives and the agenda? |
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| Are participants invited based on their potential contribution to the meeting? |
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| Is an agenda developed and distributed in advance of the meeting? |
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| If an agenda has not been developed in advance, is one developed during the first few minutes of the meeting? |
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| Do I (or a member of the team) arrive early enough to check the arrangements? |
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| Is the meeting started promptly regardless of whom is present? |
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| Is the agenda followed? |
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| Is the meeting led in a timely manner? |
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| Is everybody in the meeting encouraged to participate? |
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| Do I (or other team members) help in the resolution of conflict? |
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| Does our team record and or document our meetings? |
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| Is the meeting summarized and are action items clarified? |
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| Do we evaluate our meeting at the end of it? |
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| Do I take agreed upon action? |
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| Do I (or other team members) follow up on action to be taken by others? |
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| Do I ask other team members to lead the meeting? |
*See The Servant Manager, 203 tips from the best places to work in America and Marion Haynes, Effective Meeting Skills: A Practical Guide for More Productive Meetings. Crisp Publications: Menlo Park, CA 1988
Consider this test as you plan your next meeting. Are there ideas you might want to apply for the next or future meetings to encourage participation? Were topics assigned to promote leadership within your team? Do you take written minutes and document the meeting for those unable to attend, summarize the meeting and ensure timely actions for follow up? These are all organizing tips that can help you have a productive, efficient, and effective meeting.
Do problems tend to revolve around the content of the meeting or process issues?
Sometimes there is confusion around both process and content issues because the type of meeting has not been specified. For example, meeting participants may not know if they are supposed to make a decision on an issue, or just discuss the issue for information exchange purposes. Identifying the type of meeting helps clarify both process and content issues.
What are a few of the challenges posed by meetings that include remote participants and either speaker phones or video conferencing?
These are things for you to discuss with your team and to determine what steps you take as a team to improve meetings and form your own ground rules.
For example, regarding remote participants listening via a speaker phone, a common complaint is more than one person speaking at a time causing listeners to not understand. Someone in your physical meeting setting needs to ensure only one person speaks at a time, or stops the discussion and shares what has been said with those listening via speaker phone. This demonstrates that you value the remotely located person(s) and want to make sure they can hear. This same person can make sure that you periodically ask the remote employees for comments and questions and that you see them as valuable contributors to your meeting.
Some other tips you might want to explore
There are 15 more tips in The Servant Manager book to assist with meetings. Here are the headings for ten of them:
Tip 79 Assess Yourself as a Meeting Participant
Tip 81 Make Meetings Work
Tip 82 Know Your Role in the Meeting and Be Prepared
Tip 83 Ensure Meeting Attendees Know Their Specific Roles (Ahead of Time)
Tip 84 Ask These Questions When Preparing for a Meeting
Tip 86 Start the Meeting with the Right Tone
Tip 89 Ask Facilitative Questions
Tip 91 Monitor Time, Close the Meeting, and Evaluate the Meeting
Tip 92 Consider the Unique Challenges of Remote Meeting Management
Tip 94 Apply Best Practices and Use Ice Breakers
It is hoped that these tips can give you ideas for overcoming poor communication, for being more participative, and for having everyone to be clear on actions for follow-up knowing how they fit into the scheme of things.
Additional reading
Check out these additional resources to learn more about collaboration, conflict resolution, or enhancing your servant manager skills.