Broken Meetings (and, how you
will fix them) by Merlin Mann 43Folders.com Broken Meetings, by Merlin Mann is ©2010 Merlin Mann. It is licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND License. Based on a work at www.43folders.com.

ODEO OFFICE THE CANNERY, 3RD
ST. October, 2005

Petty Crime
vs.
Manslaughter

Hell is other people. Jean-Paul
Sartre, No Exit (1944)

Hell is other people’s meetings.
Me, Here (2010)

“Tim”

[kill me hand]

Here’s the
problem.

Nobody thinks
their meetings
suck.

Ask around.

Treating The “Meh” VIRUS (Before
it kills again.)

There are many crummy reasons
to call a meeting.

Bored Dunno what else to
do Everybody calls meetings Free snacks Cool new laser pointer Prefer to be seated Need to just think out loud Light in here’s so flattering Not sure Meetings are what I “do.”

For someone on the maker’s
schedule, having a meeting is like throwing an exception. It doesn’t merely cause you to switch from one task to another; it changes the mode in which you work. Paul Graham bit.ly/9KHXHf

Where’s it hurt, people? •
Distracted & Bored • Unprepared • Apathetic • Late, Late, Late • Ragnarök

Ow. This does hurt. •
Lack of Focus • Lack of Preparation • Lack of Care • Lack of Respect • Lack of Parenting

Buh?
“Parenting?”

Yes.
“Parenting.”

Every meeting needs a Parent
Because, it’s not all about You any more. (Sorry.)

Key Thing Don’t wait for
others to do the right thing. You first.

Demand First-Person Transitive “I verb
noun.”

Verbs are your job. So,
why not verb your meetings?

Two
Heroes.

MR. MASON MR. HAND PHOTO:
THOMAS HAWK (RAY WALSTON) http://i-0.us/cYTsdJ PHOTO: FAST TIMES

MR. MASON PHOTO: THOMAS HAWK
bit.ly/cYTsdJ

MR. HAND (RAY WALSTON) PHOTO:
FAST TIMES

Like,
HOW?

10 Patterns to Improve Meetings
1. Purpose 6. Timekeeper 2. Agenda 7. No Ratholes 3. Grazing 8. Focus 4. Edges 9. Follow-Up 5. Guests 10. Consistency

1. Purpose (set it and
stick to it)

2. Agenda (set it and
stick to it)

3. Grazing Policy (set it
and stick to it)

4. Edges (set them and
stick to them)

5. Guests (schedule them and
stick to it)

6. Timekeeper (set “acts” and
stick to it)

7. No Ratholes (set expectation
then stick to it)

8. Focus (restate purpose and
stick to it)

9. Follow-Up (set accountability then
stick to it)

10. Be Consistent (yes: stick
to that, most of all)

10 Patterns to Improve Meetings
1. Purpose 6. Timekeeper 2. Agenda 7. No Ratholes 3. Grazing 8. Focus 4. Edges 9. Follow-Up 5. Guests 10. Consistency

Caution! Some of these will
get you killed or fired.

Resolved. Nothing matters until it
gets: • a budget • a deadline • one owner (otherwise it’s just a poster of a boat)

People aren’t dumb. They just
chase Big Dogs.

I know, I know: “Too
much!” Fine. Start here…

The Four Quick Wins: 1.
One Agenda 2. Two Hard Edges 3. Ruthless Grazing Policy 4. Transitive Follow-Up

10 Patterns to Improve Meetings
1. Purpose 6. Timekeeper 2. Agenda 7. No Ratholes 3. Grazing 8. Focus 4. Edges 9. Follow-Up 5. Guests 10. Consistency

Meeting
adjourned.
Thanks.

Broken Meetings (and, how you
will fix them) by Merlin Mann 43Folders.com Broken Meetings by Merlin Mann is ©2010 Merlin Mann. It is licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND License. Based on a work at www.43folders.com.