Document the decisions and action items. Send them to every attendee. They must read and if they disagree with what the minute taker has written, they must raise it for correction. With clear documentation, you don't waste time debating how you remember the last meeting. It must be clear who has responsibility to take which action. A meeting must lead to action, otherwise it is pointless.
Be clear on the agenda. What are you trying to achieve in this meeting? What should you have decided before you leave the room? Tell everyone the agenda beforehand. Everyone must come prepared to discuss it. If there is no clear agenda, cancel the meeting.
One client recently said to me, "I have been telling my people these messages, but as I keep saying the same things, they get numb and the messages don't get through. So I need you as an outside expert to convey these messages." This is certainly not uncommon. It is the same reason teenagers don't listen to their parents but listen to some uncle they have just met. Playing such a role can be challenging. Changing people and their mindsets is not easy, but when can do that, we impact lives.
Albert Einstein said, “A theory should be as simple as possible, but not simpler than that”.
Similarly, a meeting should be as short as possible, but not shorter. People hate meetings because many of them go much longer than needed. I recently heard of one meeting where the chairperson asked several people to come and told them to expect a 2-hour session. That's not a meeting. That's several people coming together to argue and work at the same time.
A meeting is for discussing difficult issues and coming to agreements, so that everyone can move forward with their work. Focus on what needs to be decided, and let people go back to their work.
Don't have a meeting. Most people hate meetings and find them a waste of time, and indeed often they are. The first thing you should ask before calling for a meeting is whether it is necessary. Sometimes a phone call is enough. Or an email, an announcement in a chat group. Sometimes you don't need to involve that many people. Meetings are for discussion and debate. If your goal is only to inform, it shouldn't be a meeting. If it is to instruct, it shouldn't be a meeting. Don't do unnecessary meetings. Save everyone's time.
Is your leadership team a shark tank, a petting zoo or a mediocrity? A shark tank is overly competitive and ruthless, sometimes selfish and political. A petting zoo is too nice and accommodating. People avoid conflict and disagreement. A mediocrity is not a bit of both the previous types, but a lack of both traits. It is not brutally honest enough, yet people do not care or support one another enough either. It is complacent and indifferent.
If you find your leadership team in any of these modes, it is time to think hard what kind of leadership team do you really want to have. Expected behaviours and unacceptable behaviours must be communicated. Build the right culture in your leadership team, and they will build the right culture for your company.
We have our idols. They represent ideals we believe in. We wish we could be more like them. They inspire and encourage us. But it is important we do not deify them. When we do so, we set unrealistic expectations, we become blinded in many aspects, and we set ourselves up for frustration.
In the past few years I started working with a manufacturer based in China. From the get-go I was highly impressed with their speed and professionalism. The quality was top-notch, and the price was good. They certainly earned a high Net Promoter Score from me. However I am grateful I stayed grounded and never assumed perfection. For one of our projects, I detected an error which would have resulted in disaster had it not been identified and fixed before mass production. No one is infallible. By staying real, we completed that project together successfully.
Admire, respect, and learn from the people we meet, but do not deify them. Is there someone whom you deify without realising it?
Document the decisions and action items. Send them to every attendee. They must read and if they disagree with what the minute taker has w...
