Dread those dreary meetings? - Harvy Schachter

Meetings go wrong in many ways. They can be too short to go deep or too long to sustain interest and energy. There can be too many - or too few. New Zealand executive coach Miranda Kennett, in Management Today, suggests carrying out a swift meeting audit, asking six questions

Why?

After listing all your meetings, ask why each is held. What is the real purpose - information sharing, decision making, conveying policy, morale boosting, promoting relationships, or something else? "Everything else should flow from the meeting's primary goal, but often this is unclear and so elements of style and content can be at odds with each other. You may even conclude that the meeting serves no useful purpose and so fulfill your wish to abolish it," she says.

Who?

You need to figure out who should be attending for the meeting purpose to be fulfilled. Too many onlookers can reduce the effectiveness of the meeting, as can the absence of the person with decision-making power.

What?

Next you must tackle content, developing a clear view of the desired outcome of the meeting and whether it realistically can be covered in one session.

How?

Meetings go wrong in many ways. They can be too short to go deep or too long to sustain interest and energy. There can be too many - or too few. New Zealand executive coach Miranda Kennett, in Management Today, suggests carrying out a swift meeting audit, asking six questions:

What is the best methodology for the meeting? How formal should it be? Should you be circulating an agenda and documents in advance? Is face-to-face contact essential or a conference call viable?

Where?

Too many meetings are in low energy places - stuffy, with no natural light, a dominating table that restricts eye contact, and uncomfortable chairs for extended sessions. A good venue can enhance focus.

When?

What's the optimal time of day, week, or month for the session - and how long should it be? "It's surprising how refreshing a time shift can be in moving out of a familiar rut," she advises. Also: While our diaries tend to mark times in hours and half hours, that shouldn't dictate the length of your meeting, since work will expand to fill the time allotted. One executive invented the three-minute meeting to cope with the recurring need of staff for quick decisions and approvals.