Everyone of us yearn for Productive Meetings. But most of the times it remains a dream. Here are some ways to get closer!

1. Make Your Meetings Work
We all yearn for it…
Ashwin
Uncopyrighted. Creative Commons 4.0

2. What’s on today...
Some Numbers...
The Very Basics : For Attendees
The Very Basics : For Organizers
Meeting Improvement Ideas
Experiment New Meeting Styles

3. Let’s start with
some Numbers…

4. Mind-boggling stats about Unproductive Meetings
Credit: http://www.inc.com/laura-montini/infographic/the-ugly-truth-about-meetings.html

5. > 67%
are considered failures by executives!
Unproductive Meeting Failure Rate

6. Causes of Unproductive Meetings
Credit: http://www.inc.com/laura-montini/infographic/the-ugly-truth-about-meetings.html

7. The Very Basics
For Attendees

8. For Attendees - 3 Golden Rules
Rule #1
Respect the Speaker
Bonus Rule: Arrive on Time
Image credit: http://www.madeforsuccesspublishing.com/respect-find-out-what-it-means-to-me/

9. For Attendees - 3 Golden Rules
Rule #2
Active Listening
Image credit: http://workingcapitalreview.com/2015/02/listen-employees/

10. For Attendees - 3 Golden Rules
Rule #3
Speak only when you can improve on the Silence
Image credit: http://mylifeyoga.com/2013/04/20/vow-of-silence/

11. The Very Basics
For Organizers

12. For Organizers - 4 Golden Rules (an extra one…)
Rule #1
Prepare for your meeting
Make an Agenda

13. For Organizers - 4 Golden Rules
Rule #2
Include only Right Participants

14. For Organizers - 4 Golden Rules
Rule #3
Time it Right

15. For Organizers - 4 Golden Rules
Rule #4
Follow up with Minutes and Action Items

16. Meeting Improvement Ideas

17. Keep in mind…
Start and End on Time
Introduce Participants
Prevent Distractions
One Voice at any time
Avoid monologues, engage the participants
Stay Focused

18. New Meeting Ideas

19. #1 Open House
What
For busy individuals to given them the flexibility
for idea generation and get together later to
discuss them
When to Use
Idea generation
Anonymous feedback generation
Personal ideas/preference could get in the way of
the team
Steps
Space where everyone can list down ideas :
Sticky notes, whiteboard etc.
Setup time windows when the ideas can be
posted, participants are free to update at any
time during this window
Anonymous contributions are allowed
Meet with everyone after idea collection to
discuss and refine

20. #2 Stand it Up
What
Get into a room, stand up, come right to the point
and go away with action items
When to Use
Daily Scrum Updates
Any meeting when the time is limited and
productivity is required
Steps
Lose the chairs (at least not sit on them)
Use the Whiteboard as needed
No laptops allowed
Organizer take the responsibility to follow up
with action items

21. #3 Two n’ Out
What
Speed meeting where everyone gets about 2
minutes to speak followed by a 5 minute wrap up
When to Use
Need to complete the meeting in short time
Updates of any kind
Steps
2 minutes per participant to share updates,
status or any other relevant information
Go round the table, giving everyone a chance to
speak
Cut-off disturbances right away
Either do these back to back or interject a 1-
minute Q&A session between
Assign a note taker for action items, follow up if
necessary

22. So to summarize…
Unproductive meetings waste everybody’s time
Respect each other - Come on time, listen actively and offer active participation
Severely limit the number of participants to bare minimum
If possible, send a representative on team’s behalf
Ask yourself these questions before organizing…
Is the meeting really needed?
Who are definitely required for the meeting?
How can I make the meeting short and productive?

23. Thank you!
Speak your mind…