A Leader’s “Optional”; Is Every Meeting Mandatory? 3 Keys to Enhancing Leadership & Work/Life Harmony Through “Optional”!

There are several things most organizations struggle with and one of the most prevalent is the number of meetings Leaders must attend. You know what I mean… you’ve been asked to attend a meeting in-person, virtually, or through travel… you already wonder why you must be there, how much time it’s going to take away from the fifty million other things that require your attention, and how you’re supposed to find time to do your actual job! Then the meeting starts, and within five minutes, you KNOW you didn’t have to be there, the information isn’t for you, this could have been handled over a five-minute old-school phone call, and you feel your skin begin to crawl… all the while having to sit there and maintain a calm demeanor and present a pillar of professionalism. Did I get that right? So, what to do?

Before we delve into the specifics, the quick answer is… allow Leaders and Employees an “Optional Feature” to attend or not attend meetings. Yes, I know this can snowball into chaos. It can also allow Leaders and Employees a moment to breathe, get their “real job” done, enhance their work/life harmony, and be more efficient with their time and client/customer service. As a Leader, it starts with the awareness and understanding of why SO many of your staff are in SO many meetings in the first place!

Some Leaders are simply used to having meetings and see no other way… just as many Leaders could have never imagined Hybrid or Remote Work actually working. Some Leaders want all departments present so everyone can be on the same page. Some Employees seek protection and will cc’ everyone on everything and invite the whole world into meetings. While others enjoy the perks of certain off-site meetings… the travel, the amenities, the dinners, lunches, nights out, and getting to do it with desired Coworkers… their clique!

I must admit, in my Employee days, those types of meetings out of the office or conferences were fun, a breath of fresh air, and break from the monotony of my normal workday. However, when the same group of Employees are continuously attending off-site meetings and conferences it can potentially spark the “Boys-Club Effect”, a “Girls-Club Effect”, or any type of “Clique-Effect” that inadvertently travels back into the workplace… excluding others, providing special work-perks and protection to the clique, and let’s not get into what can happen with unsupervised adults fraternizing outside of normal working hours… Be Mindful! So, what to do?

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A Leader’s Value!

Let me preface by saying everyone within your organization can be a Leader when they choose to be! Leaders are positive, passionate, productive, know the vision, what it takes to make the vision come true, and are willing to move forward through great times, tough times, and through change! Meetings aren’t to be intentionally dodged, rather carefully and professionally examined… here are a few questions to ask yourself and others when invited to a meeting you struggle to see value in.

1. Is this meeting for me? When done correctly, meetings are valuable but may not be for everyone! Does this meeting pertain to anything you’re Leading or working on? What does the company or person calling the meeting want me to get out of this meeting? Do you HAVE to be present, or would it be a better experience for someone on your Team attend? Can we record the meeting, watch it, and provide feedback by a designated time?

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1. Can I contribute? Do you have anything to best contribute to the meeting? If there’s no new information or relevant information related to the project… can you be excused until further headway has been made? If so, great! If not, refer to the first series of questions above; as there may still be value in attending a portion of the meeting.

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1. Is the meeting necessary? I firmly believe information is key and that meetings matter… when constructed appropriately and within an appropriate timeframe (see my Leader’s Meeting in my book, A Leader’s Toolbox). My biggest pet peeve is long-winded meetings with people repeating themselves and it turning into a complaint-fest led by the Negative Nicks and Nacys. Also, there are times when a meeting may not be necessary and it’s beneficial to postpone.

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Be Mindful… “Necessary” is a fine line to walk given increased Hybrid and Remote Work. The meeting may no longer be necessary and can be canceled or rescheduled. However, your Remote Workers may benefit from scheduled meetings to feel more connected and informed. In these cases, be sure some of your meetings are simply for the purpose to Congregate, Collaborate, and/or Celebrate. When this is the case, be transparent and enjoy!

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Delegate & Discuss!

As a Leader, it’s impossible to be everywhere, to do everything, and to address every fire. In speaking with Jamey Rootes, Former President of The Houston Texans, he summed up Leadership like this… “Leaders do the People that do their old job, plus their new administrative tasks!”. That’s where delegation comes in. When you invite a colleague to a meeting, be mindful to consider and ask:

• Is this meeting for them or can someone on your team attend, learn from it, and be better for it?
• If so, who is this person?
• Are they available?
• What do you want them to get out of the meeting?
• What would they like to get out of the meeting?
• What authority are you providing them with to make decisions in the meeting? It would be unfair to send someone into a meeting and provide them with zero power or authority!

When asking someone to attend a meeting on the company’s behalf or yours, it’s important to Follow-Up and Follow-Through… or time has been wasted and your Leadership tainted! What’s your preferred method of contact to be kept in the loop regarding the meeting? I’m honored to also run my own non-profit (The Andre Young Foundation). My Team is the best and many times our Treasurer meets with organizations in the community without me present. My preferred method of contact with him is text messages with bullet points regarding the outcome of the meeting; along with pictures taken depending on the scenario. What’s your preferred method for how to be updated? What information from the meeting do you need? How do you prefer to hear bad news? How do you prefer your People to share their ideas with you? How will you tolerate mistakes and oversights? If you don’t know, how are your people supposed to?

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“Optional Meetings” are a Two-Way Street!

What about your Employees who are drowning in meetings? There are millions of Employees being asked to attend meetings they don’t need to be a part of and would prefer to spend their time doing more impactful and pressing things. As a Leader, it’s imperative to know that most People view your requests to attend a meeting as a “Have To”. Therefore, when you suggest an Employee/Direct Report attend a meeting, they feel obligated to say “Yes!”. CAN your people ask you the same questions I shared in the beginning:

1. Is this meeting for me? What does the company or person calling the meeting want me to get out of this meeting? Do I HAVE to be present, or would it be a better experience for someone on my team to attend? Can we record the meeting, watch it or send the recorded notes and I provide feedback by a designated time?
2. Can I contribute? Do I have the actual knowledge base to contribute? If yes, great! If not… what’s the plan to mentor, coach, and train; allowing me to best represent the company out in the world?
3. Is the meeting necessary and best prioritized with the things currently on my list?

Many Leaders are ignorant to their people’s list and have no idea what Employees must adjust in their schedule to attend meeting after meeting… especially impromptu meetings. As a Leader, Be Mindful of your people’s list and be sure to assist them to best prioritize and not burn-out or bore-out!

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Note: As a Leader, this topic may be difficult; as People not attending meetings can aggravate our ego and make us feel uneasy that work isn’t getting done. Therefore, if You or your People are practicing A Leader’s Optional… the expectation is everyone’s work is impeccable, projects are moving forward, and results are in! You can’t miss meetings and have no results to show for it! Be sure to share what meetings are mandatory, are not an option to miss, and be willing to have the tough conversation for those who decide to test their new found “optional power”.

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What was your Biggest Takeaway from A Leader’s Optional? What homework will you give yourself to apply moving forward? Remember… knowing something new, without applying that something new, can Lead to nothing new!

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“Leaders understand meetings aren’t to be intentionally dodged, rather carefully and professionally examined for impact… Be Mindful!”

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