Not another project meeting

Already I can hear you, not another project meeting!

You open your inbox and there it is, another calendar invite – what do you do? Depending on the role you play in a project, your time can be consumed with up to 20 hours of meetings a week.

How do you react to another project meeting invite? Do you know what meeting personality are you – attendee, runner or contributor?

I’m an attendee!

I will accept because I want to know what is going on and am not concerned about the length of the meeting or even the purpose.

I want to say something and will bring along my own coffee.

I might have an opinion but will not put my hand up to be assigned an action.

I will sit quietly as I don’t like to talk out my thoughts or ideas.

I’m a runner!

I will decline without hesitation, don’t waste my time.

I might be interested but have more important things to do.

I have heard it all before, nothing changes.

I’m a contributor!

I value my time yet

I will ask for information about the meeting to help prepare my thoughts.

I will ask for information about the meeting to help prepare my thoughts.

I will contribute to the discussions and will most times take responsibility to solve an issue.

I will share what happened at the meeting with my team members.

There is no doubt like me you have at some stage been all three meeting personalities. I know I get the most out of a meeting when I am a contributor.

Don’t just have another project meeting, be organised, be prepared, be deliberate. The most effective project meetings have seven (7) characteristics:

• Time. Set the duration of the meeting to reflect the purpose. Don’t book the default 30 or 60-minute time period if 10 minutes will be sufficient.
• Agenda. Outline the discussion items and expected outcome for the meeting. Is the meeting for information sharing, clarifying requirements, issue management, reporting status or to make a decision?
• Location. Don’t just think office consider a walking meeting, eat and talk under a tree or connect virtually with Skype or Zoom.
• Information. Provide reading material 2-3 days prior to the meeting. This allows people to prepare and have the answers you may be seeking.
• People. Know what skills and authority is needed in the meeting to get the expected outcomes. Just don’t invite people because they attended last time, they should all play a specific role.
• Documentation. Distribute agreed actions and decisions immediately after the meeting. This allows accurate information to be shared with others who were not invited or unable to attend.
• Value. Was the meeting’s purpose achieved and did people get what they needed from it. Use a simple technique like a smiley/sad face or score out of five. Collate, measure and report your project effectiveness.

What do you do to create or contribute to an effective project meeting?