Meeting leaders can be pulled in multiple directions, preoccupied with the latest crisis, or otherwise stressed. It’s understandable if they call a meeting to order – but – haven’t prepared adequately to make it orderly. They plan to wing it through power of position.
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What follows can help us be more mindful of our responsibilities.
Primary Responsibility
The meeting leader is responsible for fostering an environment where open, honest, and creative discussion can occur without fear of recrimination, belittlement, humiliation, or dominance.
To support that duty, there are some foundational principles that bolster effective meetings. They are discussed in detail in The Pinball Theory of Business & Life and noted here:
- Trust (once established)
- Teamwork
- Emotional Intelligence
- Collaboration
- Psychological Safety
From the Google study on Psychological Safety discussed in Pinball Theory:
We’ve all been in meetings where, due to the fear of seeming incompetent, we hold back questions or ideas. I get it. It’s unnerving to feel like you’re in an environment where everything you do or say is under a microscope…
But imagine a different setting. A situation in which everyone is safe to take risks, voice their opinions, and ask judgment-free questions. A culture where managers provide air cover and create safe zones so employees can let down their guard. That’s psychological safety.
Meeting Preparation
Too often, meetings are seen as necessary evils rather than productive tools. Developing company criteria for meetings—both virtual and in-person—can guide leaders and improve their effectiveness.
Entire books are dedicated to the art of the meeting, but a few basics can prevent them from becoming mindless autopilot exercises:
- Need – Is the meeting necessary? What’s the specific objective?
- Format – What’s the most effective medium: Zoom, FaceTime, conference call, in-person?
- Advance Planning – Should an agenda be shared beforehand? Will the chair seek or accept input?
- Agenda – Should there be a designated person and time slot for each item?
- Time Management – Is there a standard for starting and concluding on time?
- Participation – Will the chair encourage or suppress discussion?
- Follow-Up – Are the responsibilities of the chair and participants clearly defined?
- Ongoing Projects – Is there an agreed schedule, milestone tracking, and completion date?
Correct Topic?
Shane Parrish, NY Times bestselling author of Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results, offers guidance on an often overlooked question:
Are we addressing the correct issue in the meeting—
not just the one that seems obvious?
I witnessed months squandered when a leader ignored the root cause of an issue. The team knew the real problem, but he dismissed differing viewpoints with, “No, that’s wrong!” – shutting everyone down.
The leader should not only promote input from others but assure them that they can challenge whether the correct issue is being addressed. This helps remove blind spots, often the source of poor decision-making.
Effective Meetings
Some people say they can’t finish their work—even their thinking—because there are too many unnecessary, unfocused, or lengthy meetings. Yet useful meetings are fundamental to any organization.
According to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Charles Duhigg, the most effective discussions happen when two things occur:
- Everyone participates
- No one dominates
These two simple rules are often ignored. Meeting participants frequently accept that the chair or a few dominant voices will control the discussion. Perhaps you’ll have to reorient everyone:
Before we start, research shows that the most effective meetings happen when everyone participates and no one dominates, including the chair. Everyone’s input is needed and welcomed.
We don’t necessarily reach the best solutions immediately. The more time we allow for thinking and reflection, the better the outcome. Dividing consequential meetings into short portions, even on different days, can help. For example, divide a one-hour meeting into three short meetings:
Meeting 1 – Define the problem & discuss it
Meeting 2 – Explore possible solutions
Meeting 3 – Evaluate options & decide
Principles for Meetings
Here are some principles that can either strengthen or divide a team during and after meetings. They are discussed in detail in Pinball Theory and noted here:
- Confidentiality
- Listening
- Candor
- Vulnerability
- Accountability
- Spirit of Generosity
Good and Welfare
How we plan, conduct, and close meetings deserves our attention. There was a tradition where the last agenda item was Good and Welfare. The leader would ask if anyone had a brief comment for the good of the meeting or the welfare of the organization.
As quaint as it might seem, it provided a way to end meetings on a higher note, softening the harsh tenor of previous discussions. Adding a touch of humor or lightheartedness at the end can prevent the sour taste of debate from lingering.
Meeting Leaders: Lead!
Meetings should be productive, not dreaded. With thoughtful leadership and intentional structure, they can be the catalyst for collaboration, progress, and trust.
The meeting leader must take ownership of the correct issue, promote effective and respectful decision-making, and ensure follow-through. In short, mindfully lead.
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