Planning Effective Work Meetings

“A manager’s ability to turn meetings into a thinking environment is probably an organization’s greatest asset.”

— Nancy Kline

Meetings, meetings, even more meetings – oh my! Meetings are one of the greatest paradoxes in the workplace. Most employees report that meetings are unproductive and significant time wasters. At the same time, research shows that meetings have increased in length and frequency over the past 25 years. Meetings are essential for collaboration, connection, and problem-solving, but leaders must be intentional to ensure they are efficient and effective.

As you consider scheduling meetings for your team, ask yourself these two questions. Do we need this meeting? What kind of meeting do we need?

Do We Need This Meeting?

Meetings often become a routine experience without creativity and positive energy. Consider if every meeting on your calendar is essential. Some helpful questions to consider include:

1. Do I need outside input to progress on this project, decision or problem?
2. Does moving forward require a real-time conversation with co-workers?
3. Does it require a face-to-face meeting?
4. When should I schedule the meeting?

Email, phone calls or instant messaging can be effective communication tools if collaboration is not needed for decisions to move forward. If a face-to-face meeting is necessary, consider when and how to schedule it. Meeting fatigue is real, and research shows that back-to-back meetings for staff lead to increased stress and decreased creativity, productivity, and engagement. A simple way to combat back-to-back meetings is to allow 10 - 15 minutes of a margin so that employees can stretch and refocus for their next meeting.

What Kind of Meeting Do We Need?

Once you determine a meeting is necessary, consider the type of meeting your team needs. According to CEO Amy Bonsall, there are three types of meetings. It is crucial to be clear about the intention and purpose of a meeting.

Transactional. These meetings are about getting tasks done. They might include daily huddles, regular check-ins and team meetings. Transactional meetings require clear agenda items and lists of decisions that need to be made or problems that need to be fixed during that meeting time.

Adaptive. These meetings address complicated or delicate topics for the team. These might include strategy sessions or career/feedback conversations. Adaptive meetings will be most effective when employees feel a sense of psychological safety to speak up, ask questions and admit challenges.

Relational. These meetings are about building connections and collaboration with teams. Often, these can be dreaded “get to know you” experiences, but careful planning can create meaningful experiences for staff. Take time to explore new ideas for relationship and trust building.

Plan Your Meetings 1-2-3

1. Decide if you need a meeting or can take care of this via email, phone call, or instant messaging.
2. Determine what kind of meeting you want to lead if collaboration is necessary.
3. Plan your meeting accordingly. Make sure it is efficient and effective.

First Sun EAP offers Effective Meetings training for leaders to help your team transform their collaboration and communication. Explore our site for more training and development solutions for employees and leaders, or call us at 800-968-8143.