Lean Meetings: The Key to Efficiency? Have a good plan!!
Tom Stratton
Executive and Team Coach | Human Interaction Specialist | Professional Facilitator and Trainer
In the same way having a meeting purpose is the key to effectiveness, having a good plan is vital for meeting efficiency. Much waste happens in meetings that do not have the right resources, the right people, the right process tools, the right preparation, the right venue, the right creature comforts, the right follow-up, etc.. These wastes can be eliminated by good planning.
In my work to train internal meeting facilitators the most common concern raised by participants is around how to manage the actual meeting. This is a valid concern and much of the training is devoted to meeting management. Nevertheless, it is my experience that the larger portion of meeting waste can be eliminated by creating a good plan. This work occurs prior to the meeting. I have seen timid and very junior facilitators, who are good with planning, eliminate massive meeting waste as they work with the meeting owner to create the road map, or plan, for the meeting. This is work to be done by the meeting facilitator; however if a facilitator is not being used someone must make a plan!
There are many templates available in the public domain and I'll be happy to send you some of my favorites if you will just send me a note. The plan does not have to be a massive document. It should contain the basic information including the meeting purpose, the owner and facilitator, the participants, objectives and outcomes, agenda, process tools to be used, venue, timing, resources required, etc.. A one page document is sufficient at a high level and it can be completed with the meeting owner with relative ease. To facilitate the meeting I use a modified spreadsheet with much greater detail.
Planning does not mean the meeting has to be regimented or constrained. It means that if the meeting is a free flowing conversation around whatever topic comes up then it was planned to be a free flowing conversation around whatever topic comes up. The key is to know where you are going, how you are going to get there, and how to make the journey as easy and fast as possible.
Is meeting planning simple, yes. Is it often overlooked, absolutely. Be weird, use common sense....start with a good plan!
President & CEO at V-G Holdings,LLC
9 年Excellent information! I incorporate most elements mentioned within the agenda, well in advance of the meeting to set expectations and include relevant parties and information.
Manufacturing Excellence Performance Management and Leadership Lead at Syngenta
9 年So true, Tom. I think the plan not only facilitates the dialogue flow during the meeting, it helps ensure that the right information is IN the meeting. It is frustrating to be in a meeting and have to wait for a later date to reach a decision because the participants didn't know that decision (and data evaluation) was planned as a meeting outcome. So plan the meeting, then distribute the plan. -Kelly
Leadership Coach/Trainer; MBTI Certified Practitioner, TTI VAA
9 年You put common sense in a very logical message! Enjoyed your post!
Consulting futurist and foresight specialist, with strong experience and education in finance and risk management.
9 年Tom, would like to see some of those templates if you would, please. Thanks for the article; very informative and most importantly, useful.