Before starting the EOS Process with prospective clients, I ask them to rate the effectiveness of their meetings on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 is great). Over the last 5 years I have asked that question of over two hundred leaders. On average, they rated their meetings a 4.7 - Not great. There's nothing like a number to cut to the chase and quickly assess how we're doing.
We have probably all sat through our fair share of awful meetings. No need to go into detail here. However, if you're frustrated by the lack of productivity and results from meetings that you conduct, here are 5 basic suggestions:
- Send attendees an agenda in advance
- Start on time & end on time
- Start with a seque, create context, set expectations
- Ban laptops, tablets and smartphones
- Rate the meeting (1-10, where 10 is great)
People should be rating their meetings a "10". If your team is struggling, here are a few questions to ask yourselves:
- Was everyone heard? Did we listen to each other?
- Was everyone an active participant and were we open and honest?
- Did we address each other directly and look each other in the eye?
- Did we get to the root cause and solve the real issue?
- Did we review the "to-do" list and clarify cascading messages?
If the meeting is rated less than a "10" ask for some open and honest feedback. Remember, people should be rating how well they did as a team working through the agenda. Effective meetings are those where issues are identified, discussed and solved. The Level 10 Meeting Agenda is one of the most effective EOS tools for conducting great meetings. You get what you expect. Expect a "10".
