Make Your Meetings Great Again
Death by Meeting
It’s been said that meetings are a place where minutes are kept and hours are lost.
And for good reason.
Not only are most meetings not necessary, but they seem to drag on to the point where, at first, you’re kind of afraid you might die, then you come to the stark realization that you may not.
But here’s the interesting thing.
Even though everyone seems to share this sentiment, we are spending more time in meetings now than ever before.
In fact, according to a recent Harvard Business Review article, the typical person now spends about 23 hours a week in meetings.
Twenty-three hours.
That’s about 40% of your entire work week!
And this number doesn’t even include the time it takes to schedule and reschedule these bad boys.
Nor does it include the time it takes to travel to and from them.
Nor does it include all the “post-meeting formalities” like formulating meeting minutes, reading and revising them, and discussing, venting, and detoxing.
I think the word “Ugh” pretty much sums it up.
So, what’s a leader to do?
How You Can Fix Even the Most Soul-Crushing Meetings
Believe it or not, to make your meetings great again, you can leverage three simple words: Are. We. Good.
Here’s how this works.
At the end of every meeting, make it a point to set aside a few minutes to check in with everyone seated at the table.
By posing the simple question, “Are we good?” you are literally inviting all those who are seated around you to give you the feedback you need to make your meetings more engaging, more effective, and, ultimately, more beneficial.
Granted, this technique is not for the weak of heart.
It’s never easy to be criticized (much less invite it!), but if you are looking to be more respectful of everyone’s time and to grow as a Leader of LIGHT, this technique will definitely get the job done.
The Powerful Payoff of Asking “Are We Good?”
Plain and simple, there are three powerful payoffs for asking “Are we good?” at the end of every meeting.
- Payoff #1: Asking “Are We Good” Clarifies Positive Intent.
By proactively posing the question “Are we good?” at the conclusion of every meeting, you are signaling to everyone seated around you that you value their opinions and insights—and that you genuinely want to make things better for everyone.
This kind of positive intention not only creates psychological safety, but it also reduces defensiveness and builds mutual trust. And these are the things that help to make meetings great.
- Payoff #2: Asking “Are We Good” Keeps Things Functional.
How many times have you led a meeting that you thought went pretty well only to find out later that others didn’t feel the same way?
It’s painful, isn’t it?
By offering up the words, “Are we good?”, you are giving everyone inside the group the opportunity to safely and constructively air their concerns and vent their frustrations while the group is still together.
By welcoming feedback within the meeting, scores of leaders have discovered that this technique preempts a lot of dysfunctional sniping and gossiping—which can cause a ton of headaches (and hard feelings!) down the road.
- Payoff #3: Asking “Are We Good” Holds Everyone Accountable.
Last but not least, asking “Are we good?” at the conclusion of every gathering requires everyone in the group to not only reflect on what just happened but, if unsatisfied, to offer up feedback on how to make it better.
But there’s more.
In addition to offering everyone the opportunity to criticize your agenda and performance, this question also prompts everyone at the table to take responsibility for their contributions as well—thus encouraging a shared sense of ownership where people are accountable to themselves and their teammates.
From a leadership perspective, this is worth its weight in gold.
Leading with LIGHT
Don’t let your meetings be a place where bold dreams go to die.
Instead, incorporate the words “Are we good?” to slowly but surely bring your meetings back to life.
But remember, this technique only works if you use it.
To be effective, it needs to become a habit—you need to use it every single time.
But if you do, you’ll soon find that not only will your outcomes be better, but your interactions will become more functional, and your people will grow stronger and closer than ever before.
Until next time: See LIGHT, Be LIGHT, and Spread LIGHT.
Until Next Time...
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About Lead with Light
Lead with Light is an initiative that aims to equip current and emerging leaders with a reimagined approach to servant leadership.
Our ultimate vision is to grow and develop thousands of Leaders of Light to ignite a movement to see light, be light, and spread light in ways only each can.