"N" Is For 'No Agenda - No Attenda'
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As always, I want to offer my sincere apology to Sue Grafton for using (stealing??) her approach for the titles of her many outstanding mystery novels for this series of articles that I hope makes YOU a happier and more effective leader working with a truly empowered team that really enjoys what they do! Oh, and if you have not read any of Ms. Grafton’s novels I highly recommend that you give her a try.
Meetings
“Meetings are a great trap. Soon you find yourself trying to get agreement and then the people who disagree come to think they have a right to be persuaded. However, meetings are indispensable when you don’t want to do anything.”
- John Kenneth Galbraith
Before I start making some suggestions for you to consider for improving your meetings, I want to tell you about perhaps the most amazing meeting that I attended in my five decades as a middle manager. This meeting actually happened and I was thrilled to have been a part of it and with the decisions and results. Now before I go any further I share the “legend” of Senior Stan and his “no agenda - no attenda” decree with you.
“The only means of strengthening one’s intellect is to make up one’s mind about nothing – to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts.”
- John Keats
The Legend of Senior Stan and the “No Agenda - No Attenda” Rule
Once upon a time, Senior Stan was in his office at his desk preparing for his upcoming staff meeting with all of his Middles. He was looking at recent data on how time was being spent by his staff on various projects and associated tasks. He got this data from a new “time management” system he had implemented (now please note that systems don’t manage time they only report it. People manage time!) All of his Middles were outside Senior Stan’s office and they began to wander in looking at their watches or papers and picking chairs away from Senior Stan’s desk.
“Well,” said Senior Stan. “Let’s all get started. We only have one agenda item for this meeting. That is the time we are spending in MEETINGS!!! It seems that we’re wasting lots of time!! What do you suggest we do to reduce the time we spend in meetings?”
All of the Middles start to look around at each other, puzzled looks on all of their faces. No Middle seemed to have any suggestions.
“Well,” said Senior Stan, “That’s just GREAT! All this time and effort we are wasting and NOBODY has any ideas on how to stop it!!
A hush fell across everyone and they simply looked at their shoes.
Now Senior Stan was from the Land of Texas, complete with boots with his suit and he pounded his fist on his desk and roared, “Well, I’ve got an idea, how about no agenda - no attenda! You know the topics to discuss, who does what, time estimates, that sort of thing – the whole nine yards! If you don’t get sent an agenda for a meeting PRIOR to the meeting, you don’t have to attenda! I’m serious!
“With all due respect you can’t be serious Senior Stan” said Middle Bob, “Marketing will eat us alive if we don’t go to their meetings.”
“Yes I am serious! Effective immediately, if you go to a meeting without an agenda you will be terminated! Am I clear?” Senior Stan scanned the group looking directly in the eye of each of his Middles for acknowledgement, understanding and agreement from each of them.
Of course he was clear, but all of the Middles were worried if Senior Stan really would support them if they followed his decree and didn’t go to an agenda-less meeting. Senior Stan did support them and meetings were shorter and better and the Kingdom was a far, far better place.
The End
Now, meetings are usually a waste of time, cost too much money and don’t get the desired results. So why don’t we change the way we run our meetings? I suggest that you immediately implement a new set of rules and bylaws for future meetings that you and your Teamers schedule and attend and consider including the following as appropriate:
Never go to or schedule a meeting without an agenda. The meeting agenda should include at least the following information and be available to meeting attendees well prior to the meeting. For example, what topics to discuss, who will discuss each topic, why discuss the item, what’s the proposal or action needed and a time estimate for each agenda item.
Have some time set aside for “general junk” and a Rumor Round-Up session at the end of the meeting.
Have a facilitator to keep the meeting on schedule. I suggest that you pick someone as the facilitator that’s not involved with any of the meeting agenda topics and is an independent thinker.
If you have a meeting with Coworkers from other departments or organizations, be sure to start with introductions so that everyone knows everyone.
Start the meeting with an “ice breaker” agenda item to get the conversation flowing. “How they got assigned to this project?” can be a good one.
Have a scribe to keep notes of the meeting and action items. Actually use a recording device if needed.
Appoint a time keeper. Again, to help stay within the agenda and time estimates for each topic.
Always keep meetings to one hour or less. Meetings are expensive. I once worked with a guy who had meetings without chairs. His quote was “If we don’t all sit down and get comfortable, we can get this done quicker! I’ve got work to do!” I suggest you try this at least once as a “wake up” for your Teamers.
If you need more time schedule another meeting. If everyone wants to continue to complete a topic go another fifteen minutes or so, but try to keep the time limited.
The facilitator should stop idea judgment or judgmental statements of any kind.
The facilitator should stop letting multiple people talk at once. Let each person share their ideas without interruption.
Stop endless talking and arguing. Play the “bad cop” if you have to.
Encourage brainstorming and idea hitchhiking, that is “What if we did that, what would happen?”
Encourage everyone to stay on schedule and stick to topics and solutions.
No cell phones unless it is a REAL emergency!
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
- Leonardo da Vinci
I wish you empowerment, happiness and every success!
Jonesy