Many leaders view meetings as a necessary evil or a distraction from their "real work." However, meetings are actually the primary arena where leadership happens—where decisions are made, problems are solved, and culture is built. If a leader dislikes meetings, it is akin to a surgeon disliking the operating room. The solution is not to eliminate meetings, but to fix the two primary reasons they fail: boredom and confusion.
Overcoming Boredom: Hooks and Conflict
Meetings often fail because they lack engagement. To cure boredom, leaders should borrow techniques from screenwriting:
- The Hook (The First 10 Minutes): Just like a movie, the start of a meeting must establish the stakes. Leaders must clarify why the meeting matters and the consequences of disengagement.
- Conflict: A good meeting requires opposing forces. Without constructive conflict and debate, there is no resolution or reason to care about the outcome. Leaders must mine for conflict to ensure engagement and better decision-making.
Solving Confusion: Avoid "Meeting Stew"
The second major failure is "Meeting Stew"—throwing every type of conversation (admin, strategy, tactics) into one pot. This confuses the human brain, which cannot process disparate contexts simultaneously. To fix this, leaders should separate conversations into four distinct meeting types:
1. The Daily Check-in
- Duration: 5–10 minutes.
- Purpose: Strictly administrative. A quick synchronization to share daily schedules and activities.
- Benefit: Keeps the team connected and prevents administrative clutter in other meetings.
2. The Weekly Tactical
- Duration: 45–90 minutes.
- Purpose: Focus on near-term objectives and immediate problem solving.
- Rule: Do not discuss long-term strategy here. If a strategic issue arises, table it for a separate strategic meeting.
3. The Monthly Strategic (or Ad Hoc)
- Duration: 2–4 hours.
- Purpose: Deep dives into one or two big, hairy issues that require research, debate, and critical thinking.
- Benefit: Allows for the time and mental space required to solve complex problems without time pressure.
4. The Quarterly Off-site
- Duration: 1–2 days.
- Purpose: Stepping back to review the team, culture, competitive landscape, and long-term direction.
- Note: This is not about social activities (like golf); it is about gaining perspective on the business.
Conclusion
By ensuring meetings have high stakes and appropriate conflict, and by separating topics into the correct context, leaders can transform meetings from a source of frustration into a productive and energizing tool for organizational success.
Mentoring question
Do you currently suffer from ‘Meeting Stew’ by mixing tactical and strategic discussions, and which of the four meeting types do you need to implement first to correct this?
Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=7qNuvvBI0eA&is=W05vBFf7Lt4ZC8kT