The document provides three tips to avoid problems in business meetings: 1) clearly articulate the purpose and desired outcome of the meeting in 25 words or less, 2) provide an agenda in advance so participants are prepared, and 3) leaders should remain neutral. It also discusses the differences between managers and leaders, noting that managers focus on following rules to reduce risk while leaders encourage taking risks to achieve new results and learning.

1. MY FIVE MINUTES BELL
BY EMILIO DEL RIO TERCERO

2. THREE EFFECTIVE TIPS TO AVOID PROBLEMS
EXPERIENCED IN A BUSINESS MEETING.
• 1. Carefully articulate the purpose and deliverable of the meeting,
preferably in twenty-five words or less.
• 2. Beyond a clearly written statement about the meeting’s purpose,
scope, and deliverable, participants need advance understanding about
the agenda.
• 3. Leaders should embrace neutrality.

3. 1. LACK OF CLEAR PURPOSE
• If you are unable to clearly explain why you are having the meeting and
the meeting’s desired output (ie, “What does ‘DONE‘ look like?”), then
you are not prepared to be an effective meeting leader. If you are the
participant, demand a written statement that details the purpose, scope,
and deliverable of the meeting, preferably in advance, or don’t attend.

4. 2. UNPREPARED PARTICIPANTS
• The agenda explains how the meeting will generate results so that
participants can get out. Nobody wants more meetings or longer
meetings. Detailed questions determine agenda topics (eg, What are our
options?). Ideally, participants should know the questions to be asked
during the meeting before it begins, so that they can attend prepared
and ready to respond.

5. 3. BIASED LEADERSHIP
• If they want others’ input and opinions, then ask and listen. If they don’t
want others’ ideas, they should not have a meeting. There are more
cost-effective means for informing and persuading than hosting
meetings. Being neutral is like being pregnant, you either are or you’re
not—there is no grey area

6. ARE YOU A MANAGER OR A LEADER?
• “Management is doing things right;
leadership is doing the right things.”

7. MANAGERS
• Managers get people to follow rules and procedures in an effort to
reduce risk and deliver predictable outcomes. This is what is required to
maintain or incrementally improve upon the status quo. Managers view
variability as a threat to be reduced as much as possible. To measure
success, they evaluate how well each person abides by the process and
produces the expected results.

8. LEADERS
• Leaders, on the other hand, rouse others to take risks and challenge the
status quo in an effort to achieve something new and better. This is what
is required in the pursuit of innovation. Leaders view variability as an
opportunity to achieve results that others think are impossible. To
measure success, they look at both what the team achieves and what the
team is learning.

9. REFERENCES
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckswoboda/2020/03/02/are-you-a-
manager-or-a-leader/#5a1721d1123e