As we return (to some extent at least) to face to face meetings, perhaps we should pause to reflect on some of the meeting essentials that may have been deprioritised during our time in the virtual meeting world. Running meetings efficiently without stifling pertinent dialogue is the ambition here.
The best set of meeting rules I know and which have stood the test of time and served me well over the years (with adaptation for context) are those developed and implemented by a former General Counsel at PMI. I am sharing the rules below:
We will work from a clear agenda. All meetings will have a clear agenda, circulated in advance. If there are advance materials to review or other meeting pre-work to do for an agenda item, we will provide our colleagues with enough time to do so. We will come to meetings prepared.
We will stick to a schedule. To the maximum extent feasible, we will start and end our meetings on time. If an issues bogs us down, we will consider handing it off to a smaller group to better develop or table the issue for another time.
We will respect those who are speaking by listening. Parallel thinking requires parallel - and active - listening. Side conversations and running commentary preclude that. They also show disrespect to the speaker.
We will focus on the meeting at the meeting. Our meetings are to share important information, focus and make decisions. Reading and replying to messages and mails or handling other matters not related to the meeting, will be handled at another time and another place.
We will wrap up issues with a clear statement of next steps and who is to take them. Our decisions should be recorded, including who is to do what and by when.
Importantly, these rules were the product of an in depth conversation among the group. Consensus is key to making these rules self enforcing.
Comments