Before setting a meeting and inviting others, consider these important questions to ensure you have the right folks in the room and are using everyone’s time wisely:

• Should we be meeting at all?
• Can the meeting be replaced by an email?
  • If the meeting is for information sharing purposes, it may be better to outline that info in an email.
• Do we have to meet as frequently?
• Do we have an agenda?
• Is the intent of the meeting clear?
  • Is it to share information, discuss it or decide something?
  • Has a recurring meeting had its intent blurred over time? Does that need to be rethought?
• Have materials for the meeting been shared in advance for the attendees to review?
  • Try to shift from presenting information, to allowing participants to review in advance, then the focus of the meeting can be on addressing questions, discussing options and making a decision
• Does everyone invited need to be there?
  • What is everyone’s role?
  • If someone is not involved in the decision-making process or immediate follow-up, they may not need to be brought in the loop until later
    • People will want to know what’s going on, so it’s important when communicating with them to be clear on how their role fits in the decision-making process and what the outcome of the decision will mean for them
• How do we move from discussion to decision?
• Are the next steps clear?
  • What the decision is
  • Who is responsible for each task
  • Timelines for delivery / follow up
• Communicate with those who may not be invited to a meeting so they know you are being respectful of their time and/or check in with them in advance about their participation.

Consider these useful tactics for future meetings:

• Try to restrict virtual meetings when you on-site.
  • This helps ensure there are opportunities for in-person connections while employees are on-site.
  • Being on-campus, but on virtual meetings all day reduces the value of being in-person and limits opportunities for personal connections and collaboration.
• Department leaders should consider introducing meeting free periods (half a day per week, for example, at a time that makes sense for the department).
• All meetings should have a shared agenda.
• Materials for meetings should be shared at least 1 day in advance for review by the attendees.
  • This allows meetings to be more efficient, as attendees can come prepared to discuss the material.
• Decision making rights need to be clear when meeting for a decision.
  • Refine the content of a meeting so that it’s not all about discussion, but also about decisions.
  • This doesn’t mean the decision maker can’t consult with others on the decision, but may not need consensus.
  • Think about the implications of the decision. If it can be easily undone, then the risk is lower for a faster, bolder decision. If the decision is widespread and not easily changed, then this may require more thought/input.
• When recurring meetings are needed, review whether the frequency is right.
  • Could a weekly meeting be shifted to bi-weekly? Monthly?  Or think differently and consider cancelling meetings (check our ‘Read’ section below for some interesting articles on this topic.