Running Successful Meetings

One of the most unusual, and longest running, of all “staff meetings” has just taken place in Vatican City.  One hundred and fifteen leaders of one of the world’s largest organizations, the Catholic Church, cleared out their support staff, locked themselves in, and did not come out until they accomplished the one item on their agenda; to decide which of them will become the church’s next CEO.  Apparently, the strategy worked—Pope Francis I was chosen in just two days, far less time than nearly anyone expected.

The idea of locking principals away until they come to a decision has occurred to many senior leaders. It even is (very) occasionally used in labor negotiations.  Usually, however, the fantasy of emulating the Church is just that—a fantasy.  Unlike the College of Cardinals, most people have spouses and children to get home to and don’t take kindly to being locked away for indefinite periods.  So, in the absence of voluntary (or involuntary) incarceration, how do you get people to focus and come to decisions during meetings?

In our book, “The Manager’s Communication Toolbox,” we devote an entire chapter to help managers run meetings that allow participants to leave energized, with a sense that something was actually accomplished.  We interviewed Mary Grealy, president of the Healthcare Leadership Council.  Mary tells us that the most important aspect of a meeting is to start with a firm idea of the meeting’s purpose.  Do you want to develop a new vision for the organization, develop a marketing plan for a new product, or elect a pope?  Make sure you know, says Mary, what it is you want to accomplish before you begin.

Mary explains that the second step in getting a meeting off and running successfully is to speak to people “in the know.”  Ask those people who are true subject matter experts to help you shape your agenda—and have them lead discussion sessions within the framework of the meeting.  When the meeting starts, you’ll have a good sense that you will be talking about the right things, and you’ll have already “tuned in” your key participants.

Finally, Mary suggests preparing (and using) a meeting checklist to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.  The one we have in our book suggests meeting chairs maintain the focus on the agenda, set and assert ground rules, and close out each agenda item at a specified time.   We offer a number of other tips, but perhaps my favorite is to start every meeting at precisely the appointed time.  If someone is late, he or she can read the minutes.

Chairing meetings properly (we’ve also got a checklist for participants) is an art, and makes all the difference in a meeting that meets its goals and one that does not; one that lasts an hour or so and one in which meals need to be sent in: one that results in white smoke and one that results in black! 

What are your secrets to successful meetings?  Share them in the comments section.