Meeting Etiquette

“ One of the biggest complaints about most organizations is meetings . . . they waste too much of our precious time…” “ Meetings are important because that is where an organization’s culture and climate perpetuates itself.” “ Meetings are one of the ways that an organization tells its workers: “You are a member.”

“ One of the biggest complaints about most organizations is meetings . . . they waste too much of our precious time…”

“ Meetings are important because that is where an organization’s culture and climate perpetuates itself.”

“ Meetings are one of the ways that an organization tells its workers: “You are a member.”

Negative No agenda, meeting lacked direction or clear objectives Boring, Slow, Too long Going around in circles Same people dominating discussion No decision making No progress on action items from previous meetings

No agenda, meeting lacked direction or clear objectives

Boring, Slow, Too long

Going around in circles

Same people dominating discussion

No decision making

No progress on action items from previous meetings

Positive Rigid meeting duration/start & end on time Agenda sent to participants ahead of time Allocated rolls and rotated Attendees engaged & contributed Breaks designated for longer meetings

Rigid meeting duration/start & end on time

Agenda sent to participants ahead of time

Allocated rolls and rotated

Attendees engaged & contributed

Breaks designated for longer meetings

Why do meetings become unproductive? Not organised effectively (Pre-meeting) Lack of direction from the meeting chair Participants are not actively involved The meeting itself was not required

Not organised effectively (Pre-meeting)

Lack of direction from the meeting chair

Participants are not actively involved

The meeting itself was not required

Disadvantages Discussion should relate to all attendees A minority of people can dominate discussion Introverts are less likely to speak up A forum to air dirty laundry Time out of actually doing the work

Discussion should relate to all attendees

A minority of people can dominate discussion

Introverts are less likely to speak up

A forum to air dirty laundry

Time out of actually doing the work

Advantages Build team rapport Identify with a larger body of people/business section Networking Incidental learning/cross-pollination The time is set and formally scheduled

Build team rapport

Identify with a larger body of people/business section

Networking

Incidental learning/cross-pollination

The time is set and formally scheduled

Consider the cost 8 people They meet for 1 hour Average hourly rate of $45 $360 p/hour Not incl. flights, cabs, accom, catering etc

8 people

They meet for 1 hour

Average hourly rate of $45

$360 p/hour

Not incl. flights, cabs, accom, catering etc

How did we learn to meet? We don’t receive formal training in “How to meet” We’ve developed our own styles Family interaction Our personality Exposure to similar meeting environments Group projects at Uni Involvement in clubs/volunteering Modelling the behaviours of work colleagues

We don’t receive formal training in “How to meet”

We’ve developed our own styles

Family interaction

Our personality

Exposure to similar meeting environments

Group projects at Uni

Involvement in clubs/volunteering

Modelling the behaviours of work colleagues

Meeting Etiquette Active Listening Consider the points of view of others Punctuality Come prepared, bring relevant doc. Cancellations! Follow up cancellation by email with a phone call Provide any content which you were nominated to prepare Mobile Phone Use

Active Listening

Consider the points of view of others

Punctuality

Come prepared, bring relevant doc.

Cancellations!

Follow up cancellation by email with a phone call

Provide any content which you were nominated to prepare

Mobile Phone Use

Non-verbal Communication Albert Mehrabian 1964

Meetings 2.0 Webex Teleconferencing Videoconferencing These technologies reduce the amount of face-to-face time required to meet Mitigate travel/accom. cost Reduce carbon emissions

Webex

Teleconferencing

Videoconferencing

These technologies reduce the amount of face-to-face time required to meet

Mitigate travel/accom. cost

Reduce carbon emissions

Face-to-Face Build rapport amongst team members Team identity Meetings which exceed a duration of 60 minutes Discussing matters which may lead to difference of opinion or are contentious

Build rapport amongst team members

Team identity

Meetings which exceed a duration of 60 minutes

Discussing matters which may lead to difference of opinion or are contentious

Technology Dispersed geographic location of meeting attendee’s The agenda is short If attendees are “on the road” Web-conferencing software can allow for synchronous review and edit of live documents.

Dispersed geographic location of meeting attendee’s

The agenda is short

If attendees are “on the road”

Web-conferencing software can allow for synchronous review and edit of live documents.

“ It is nonsense to say there is not enough time to be fully informed. Time given to thought is the greatest time-saver of all.” – Norman Cousins

“ It is nonsense to say there is not enough time to be fully informed. Time given to thought is the greatest time-saver of all.”

– Norman Cousins