How to Hold A Meeting Like Your Business Depends on It

Hi, friends 👋, it's Aaron! Thanks to the more than 1,015 of you who subscribe to this newsletter. Each week, I offer human-centered insights on important developments in business.

Here's this week's edition👇🏻. I'd be honored if you'd share it with a friend.

We’re spending a lot of time in meetings these days. In fact, according to research cited by Harvard Business Review, executives dedicate a staggering 23 hours per week to meetings.

Even more alarming, 92% of employees view these gatherings as costly and unproductive. Time wasted in unproductive meetings translates to delayed decisions, stalled projects, and, ultimately, stunted business growth.

When your goal is growth, and you have limited time and resources, making substantive progress each week is imperative. Well-run meetings are central to progress and important touchpoints for sharing critical updates, making key decisions, and remaining in unison. But as many of us know, not every meeting is a productive one.

The High Cost of Ineffective Meetings

In his thought-provoking TED Talk, "Why Meetings Suck and How to Fix Them," Organizational Psychologist Adam Grant declared that nearly a third of meetings are unnecessary, squandering significant resources.

According to a study by Atlassian, workers reported that the meetings they attend are ineffective 72% of the time. This inefficiency translates to a staggering annual loss for U.S. businesses due to unproductive meetings. A study by Otter found that “For companies of 100 people, cutting unnecessary meetings would save nearly $2.5M each year and for companies of 5,000 that savings rises to over $100M.”

Of course improving meetings it's easier said than done. We’ve all been a part of meetings that veer off course and become unproductive.

Getting the Meeting Part Right

After founding a company and working in fast-growth startups for 18 years, I have a different approach to meetings. In a previous article, I mentioned the importance of Marketing Like an Owner, which necessitates that as a marketing leader, you spend your company's time, energy, and resources like they're your own. This kind of stewardship certainly extends to how much time you spend in operational meetings.

I run meetings that facilitate progress. While the average business meeting will go on for an hour, the truth is, a well-run 30 minute meeting is all you need each week to keep coordinated with your leadership team and prepare for the next winning play. Consider the short and effective timeout huddles of championship teams.

Many articles cite the importance of having a clear purpose for your meetings, starting and ending on time, and inviting just the essential people. In addition to these important points, I’d like to add some of my own best practices.

Here’s my approach to productive meetings that save executive time and eliminate the need for a second meeting (77% of workers say that they’re frequently in meetings that end in a decision to schedule a follow-up meeting!).

7 Guidelines for a Productive Meeting

Have a Plan

Come prepared with a concise agenda and email it ahead of time to allow time for thoughtful consideration. To account for topics that are outside of your purview, invite attendees to add agenda items if they fit within the time constraints and are relevant to everyone on the call. Having a plan is essential to remaining on course and ensuring the meeting is a productive use of everyone’s time.

Show and Tell

A picture is worth a thousand words. Display what it is you're discussing with the group so the focus is clear and the conversation remains grounded in reality. This helps to add further clarity and reduce extraneous questions.

Zoom Out and Zoom In

Before delving into specifics, begin with context and explain how topics fit into the overall strategy. This provides the critical background needed for constructive conversations versus ones that veer off into tangents. 

Come Prepared with Essential Questions

Questions are key to guiding the conversation and gaining the insights you need. Articulate what you need to know and what areas you need updates on—and be exact.

Answer Questions Completely

This is your chance to offer insight to colleagues. If blockers are raised in the meeting, address them head-on. Just like asking questions concisely, be ready to answer questions directly using visuals to enhance your team’s understanding.

Document Critical Background, Key Decisions & Action Items 

~54% of workers leave meetings without a clear idea of next steps, which is a problem for progress. In order for a decision to be enacted, you not only need agreement, but action and accountability. Conclude meetings with a review of the decisions and commitments made in the meeting. This can help to ensure everyone is accountable and does what they said they would do.

Confirm Everyone Is Good to Go

End the meeting by confirming that there are no other questions or pressing matters to discuss—if you've done your job, there won't be.

Making the Most of Your Time

As a leader, you have the power to change how your organization approaches meetings. You can save your business from getting stuck in a vortex of frustration, lost productivity and endless follow-ups by implementing the guidance above in your next gathering. Remember, every minute saved in a meeting is a minute gained for innovation and growth. Your business depends on productive meetings.

Thank you 🙏 for your attention this week!

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