We’ve all been there haven’t we: a long, boring meeting and/or presentation where our eyelids feel heavier and heavier. Our mind starts to wander, and we feel increasingly drowsy...
You might even have experienced that sudden, mortifying sensation of abruptly waking from an unexpected snooze, perhaps when someone else is kicking you!
The risks of this happening are even greater when the weather is this warm!
Because I’ve experienced those moments too, You might even have had the experience of suddenly finding yourself mortified, when the sensation of your chin hitting your chest jerked you awake. Even worse, is when a swift kick under the table tells us that everyone else has noticed that we were asleep…
That’s why this article really resonated with me. It contains some really good tips to help you stay involved. It also includes some brilliant one-liners, which, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself chuckling to.
One thing that struck me, as I read the article, is the responsibility we have to ensure that when we run meetings, they are an effective use of time for all involved.
Someone recently said to me, “If six people are attending a meeting and they all share the same viewpoint, then there are five people too many in the room.”
It was such an erudite way to explain the importance of ensuring: - The meeting is needed.
- Those in the room need to be there.
- The people in the room will be able to contribute positively to the discussion.
These are great points to always consider prior to sending meeting invites.But even when both these standards have been met, it's crucial that the way we run meetings ensures they make effective use of everyone’s time.
Within Manager’s Library, one of my favourite exercises is Calamitous Conference Call. I challenge you to read it and not recognise everything that happens. You’ll probably feel a huge amount of sympathy for Lester and co.
Other exercises that will help you manage meetings include: And if you’re lucky enough to also have access to our Trainer’s Library videos, The Ineffective Meeting conveys all that you need to reflect upon. |