Comments on: Types of Meetings – It Depends on Your Perspective http://russaebig.com/directionallycorrect/2009/03/10/types-of-meetings-it-depends-on-your-perspective/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Thoughts About the Corporate World We Live In Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:34:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Russ Aebig http://russaebig.com/directionallycorrect/2009/03/10/types-of-meetings-it-depends-on-your-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-115 Russ Aebig Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:49:22 +0000 http://directionallycorrect.wordpress.com/?p=130#comment-115 I agree Raj, our calendars have lost all white space. I am used to fifty meetings a week. Add preparation and resulting action items and the math points to a dysfunctional situation. I also see this as symptomatic of a lack of thought towards meeting purpose, structure, and desired outcomes. My guess is that half of all meetings are unnecessary in that they are a.) have many more attendees than required, b.) have no clear purpose, c.) have no outcomes, and d.) do not allow for adequate preparation. Imagine how much more productive we would all be if we had an additional 25 hours a week to work with. In many cases, this equates to 500% more time! Let's do the math across the entire organization and see what the ROI might be if we took a step back to look at the form and function of our meetings and re-calibrated accordingly. I agree Raj, our calendars have lost all white space. I am used to fifty meetings a week. Add preparation and resulting action items and the math points to a dysfunctional situation. I also see this as symptomatic of a lack of thought towards meeting purpose, structure, and desired outcomes. My guess is that half of all meetings are unnecessary in that they are a.) have many more attendees than required, b.) have no clear purpose, c.) have no outcomes, and d.) do not allow for adequate preparation.
Imagine how much more productive we would all be if we had an additional 25 hours a week to work with. In many cases, this equates to 500% more time! Let’s do the math across the entire organization and see what the ROI might be if we took a step back to look at the form and function of our meetings and re-calibrated accordingly.

]]> By: Raj http://russaebig.com/directionallycorrect/2009/03/10/types-of-meetings-it-depends-on-your-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Raj Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:33:14 +0000 http://directionallycorrect.wordpress.com/?p=130#comment-113 Well written article. I read Patrick Lencioni's book "Death by Meeting" and it reflected something very similar thoughts. In my view, people are booked solid in meetings every working hour and have laptops open during those meetings to catch up on action items from prior ones! The lack of "white space" in calendars leads to a situation where everyone is overworked, lacks attention and getting overwhelmed with action items. I'd appreciate thoughts on this as well. Well written article. I read Patrick Lencioni’s book “Death by Meeting” and it reflected something very similar thoughts.

In my view, people are booked solid in meetings every working hour and have laptops open during those meetings to catch up on action items from prior ones! The lack of “white space” in calendars leads to a situation where everyone is overworked, lacks attention and getting overwhelmed with action items.

I’d appreciate thoughts on this as well.

]]> By: itorganization2017 http://russaebig.com/directionallycorrect/2009/03/10/types-of-meetings-it-depends-on-your-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-7 itorganization2017 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:17:22 +0000 http://directionallycorrect.wordpress.com/?p=130#comment-7 Good overview of meeting types in our profession. All this may seem obvious, but I do see a great deal of time wasted through meetings - poor agenda, people starting late, running over, lack of good facilitation, lack of minutes and follow-up, etc. I worked with one of the big oil companies many years ago who had got very serious about running better meetings - and it really showed! They had researched then implemented an internalized a globally common approach to great meetings - used it to great effect! I reengaged with them a little while back - they still follow it religiously. Good overview of meeting types in our profession. All this may seem obvious, but I do see a great deal of time wasted through meetings – poor agenda, people starting late, running over, lack of good facilitation, lack of minutes and follow-up, etc. I worked with one of the big oil companies many years ago who had got very serious about running better meetings – and it really showed! They had researched then implemented an internalized a globally common approach to great meetings – used it to great effect! I reengaged with them a little while back – they still follow it religiously.

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