Solving the Meeting Paradox
There is something awkward with meetings: On the one hand, it feels like we have too many of them and they absorb too much of our time. On the other hand, it feels like we need ever more of them: there are so many issues that need to be discussed. Many of us may feel stuck in this "we need less/more meetings" paradox.
Shifting from quantity to quality
We often try to fix it by altering the frequency and duration of meetings: we change the weekly team meetings into bi-weekly (or the opposite), or the 3-hour ExCo meeting into a 90-minute shorter version (or the opposite), etc.
This hardly solves the problem. Soon, the new frequency or duration becomes as burdensome as the previous one. So, we change the dosage again and again, in the vain hope of ending up with the right formula.When a meeting is tedious and unproductive, making it shorter or less frequent may reduce the attendants' short-term pain, but it will not solve the underlying problem: it will not make the meetings energising and fruitful.
However, discussing the quality of meetings is a challenge in many organisations. Why? Three frequent reasons:
We often forget that the ability to lead meetings is not a given and believe it is an automatic attribute of seniority, whereas it is a discipline that requires deliberate learning and honing.
Feedback dynamics in meetings are often skewed. When the most senior person leads a meeting, honest feedback becomes a rarity, especially if their facilitation skills are lacking.
Power positioning, internal politics, and egotistic satisfaction too often take precedence over the healthy pursuit of valuable outcomes.
Action points for meeting leaders
Based on the above, here are a few suggested action points for meeting leaders:
1. Remind yourself and your team that the purpose of meetings is to co-create meaningful interactions and valuable outcomes.
2. Don’t take your meeting facilitation skills for granted. Invest in learning, especially if you are a frequent and self-proclaimed “seasoned” meeting leader. Read a book. Attend a training session. Hire a coach.
3. Get feedback. Ask participants to assess, on a scale from 0 to 10, to what extent (a) the meeting was a good use of their time, (b) the meeting has created value for them and for the team, and (c) they feel joyful and energized after the meeting. Measure progress over time.
It is time to redefine meetings as forums of meaningful and engaging interactions and engines of productivity, not just calendar placeholders.
(c) Antoine Henry de Frahan, 2023