Do you spend too much time in meetings? Many meetings are ineffective and make poor use of people’s time. If the meeting output/result is not greater than the combined hourly pay of those attending for the duration of the meeting, then it is a waste of both time and money. Below are key elements for more effective meetings that come from the video Meeting Bloody Meetings starring John Cleese.  

1. Plan – What purpose does the meeting intend to achieve? Be clear about the meeting objectives, why you need the meeting, and list the meeting topics. If a topic can be communicated in an email or by communicating directly with an individual, leave it off the agenda. Only hold a meeting when necessary.
2. Inform – Inform attendees BEFORE the meeting about what will be discussed and why, and what you expect from the meeting (presentation, brainstorming, decision-making, etc.). Anticipate the right people needed for the discussion, and ensure they are at the meeting. Every attendee should have a reason to contribute to the meeting, otherwise they do not need to be there. The fewer attendees, the better. 
3. Prepare – Arrange items in a logical sequence, put related items together, and allocate the appropriate amount of time for each item based on importance, not urgency. The shorter the meeting, the better. Distribute this agenda to the participants prior to the meeting.
4. Structure and Control – Utilize a facilitator to structure the discussion and ensure everyone has a chance to be heard. Ensure that data comes before the interpretation, and the interpretation comes before deciding on actions. Keep people from jumping ahead or moving backwards. Utilize a parking lot for topics that come up that are not on the agenda, so they can be captured and discussed at another time. Stick to the allocated amount of time for the meeting, and do not allow it to run over. 
5. Summarize and Record – Summarize and document all decisions and actions. Include the name of the person responsible for any actions. Distribute these notes/meeting minutes to all attendees.

It’s also important to establish meeting ground rules upfront so everyone knows the expectations and acceptable behavior during meetings. Ask for attendees’ concurrence to these ground rules, so meetings are effective and respectful. Once they agree, they give their permission to be held accountable to them. Here are some examples:

• One person talks at a time.
• Stay on topic.
• Make your point / be succinct / give others a chance to speak.
• Don’t beat a dead horse.
• Be respectful (of each other / of time / of the absent).
• Be present and focused.
• Turn off cell phones or put on “silence.”

If a ground rule is violated, it’s important for the facilitator to remind everyone of the ground rules and hold attendees accountable for adhering to them. Here are some respectful ways to do that.

• Interrupting or talking over others – “Let’s hear from one person at a time. Sally, please finish your thought, and then we will hear from John.”
• Side bar conversations – “Let’s have just one conversation at a time so nothing is missed. Jim, please repeat what you said. I’m not sure everyone heard it.”
• Going off topic – “It sounds like we are getting off topic. Let’s capture that in the parking lot, so it can be addressed at another time.”
• Taking too long to make a point – “I’m having trouble following you. Can you summarize your thought in a sentence or two?”
• Monopolizing the conversation – “Thank you for your ideas. Let’s hear from others so all ideas are heard.”
• Beating a dead horse – “It sounds like we all agree that… Let’s move on to the next agenda item for the sake of time.”
• Taking too much time on a topic – “Let me summarize the action/decision. We need to move on to the next topic.”
• Being disrespectful – “Let’s remember our ground rule of being respectful. How can you express that in a more respectful way?”
• Not contributing or disengaged – “Jane, we haven’t heard from you. What are your thoughts?”
• Cell phones ringing – “Let’s remember our ground rule of silencing cell phones.”

“The longer the meeting, the less is accomplished.” – Tim Cook

“The majority of meetings should be discussions that lead to decisions.” – Patrick Lencioni

“Meetings should have as few people as possible, but all the right people.” – Charles W. Scharf