If you're going to judge whether the meeting was productive, it's much more helpful to say at the end of this meeting, we will have a solution. Even the idea of having a meeting to set the budget, I would say is not a great way to think about your meeting. And that's what allows you as a meeting planner to really think through what should we be doing in the meeting and how should I structure the agenda.
Mamie Kanfer Stewart: The Modern Manager
Mamie Kanfer Stewart is a managerial excellence expert, executive coach, author of Momentum: Creating Effective Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings*, and host of The Modern Manager podcast. She loves helping managers apply the best thinking on human behavior and flourishing in how they lead themselves and their teams.
Key Points
There are six reasons to have meetings: connect, align, decide, ideate/brainstorm, plan, and/or produce.
Set an outcome for the meeting and structure the agenda accordingly.
Approach other leaders for clarity when the purpose of the meeting is not apparent.
Consider the impact of unnecessary participants in meetings and decide in advance who needs to be consulted, informed, and engaged.
Maximize all attendees time by providing clear meeting invitations and concise instructions on pre-work or pre-reading to be completed.
Resources Mentioned
Momentum: Creating Effective Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings* by Mamie Kanfer Stewart and Tai Tsao
The Modern Manager podcast
Related Episodes
How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377)
How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)
Moving Towards Meetings of Significance, with Seth Godin (episode 632)
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