Meeting for the sake of meeting.
In my opinion meetings should only take place when they are necessary. Managers & line level employees should be communicating daily, in person and/or by email.
Having a meeting only because "it's meeting day" take away from regular operations & that never works well.
Christopher,
I wouldn't disagree with you on your position but it is good to have a regular scheduled meeting. Peoples schedules are usually tight so in fairness to them they can get it on the calendar. Meetings of this type can be cancelled but they need be cancelled with plenty lead time. One week or more for cancellation is needed for the attendees sake.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I think that for an organization that doesnt have regular meeting can benefit from a regular meeting for the sake of meeting. I've experienced this when working for organizations that have employee work times spread out. Some of my co-workers I only saw at these meetings, or in social situations.
Andrea,
Just for the sake of ownership for your employees. It is important to communicate to your employees their successes and challenges. People are important to success and giving them the feeling they are in the need to know the progress and future challenges. Never overlook anyone employed in the team.
Dr. Gary Carlson
In my current position I am a meeting attender, not the organizer or facilitator. We have a meeting for staff every Thursday and a meeting for my department every third Tuesday. Most of these meetings are productive because they have planned a purposeful agenda. If not they cancel the meeting. Although we do actually have more meetings than canceled meetings,they are not afraid to cancel a meeting if there is no need to have the meeting.
My previous employer would have a regular meeting schedule, but the meeting would take place,regardless. Some were action packed and some were a pure waste of time.
Harry,
Meetings should always be with goals and expectations. A meeting just to meet is a waste of time and doesn't motivate people to come to the next one.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I am a department head and we have regularly "unscheduled" meetings. We have a standard agenda that touches on our routine issues and keeps the entire faculty on top of student issues, equipment and supply needs, on campus and off campus (teaching, service learning) activities, schedule changes, etc. Everyone has a copy of the agenda. I call the meetings on a weekly basis when i can find a time in everyone's teaching schedule that we can all meet. If that's impossible then we ask the non attendee to submit comments on their copy of the agenda so we can at least make the entire department aware of any issues that need follow up action. This has worked well for my department in that no one gets marginalized because of their teaching schedule and I make a point as team leader to follow up with the non attendees, esp on their specific items. If we do weekly meetings, they are usually pretty short and we can stay on top of everything. IF there is nothing to discuss, i don;t call the meeting. If the time span between meetings starts to lengthen because of schedule conflicts I will call a meeting once a month with as many people as I can assemble just to be sure everyone is on tract and we don't have any issues brewing.
Rose Ann,
Honestly I think you have it well in well in hand. Your practices for meetings fit into the best practice category. Good for you, your people are lucky to have you with such sensitivity to your people.
Dr. Gary Carlson
True Managers could and perhaps should communicate daily with their employees, however; sometimes to have a meeting could allow better communications, reporting or feedback. In this way, the employee feels that your are listening and acknowledging them as part of the team. Allowing employees to speak about their successes, concerns or issues is inviting to a group to share and make aware of a particular situation.
Phyllis,
Relationship with your employees is key to a team operation. The old adage where we tell employees to leave their personal problems at home is not realistic. I always made it a habit to walk around the office every Friday and personally talk to each employee. I did the same thing with the college I was President. If each employee can feel their ownership as part of the team they can relate better to the manager.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I'm with you Harry. At work i am an attender but in other areas I am the facilitator. There are monthly meetings that I am in charge of and usually the organizer. I have been complimented on being organized and an excelent keeper of the time. Most meetings end on time or even early. I have also found that passing the torch works well also. It gives others the opportunity to be the organizer. Of course this will not work in all areas.
Thomas,
Great job, the key often is that your meeting audience is aware of the expectations of the meeting. When people are notified and aware of the objectives of the meeting the time is usually managed much easier. It seems you are doing this with your organizational skills. When someone is off track you can easily bring them back to the expectations of the meeting
Dr. Gary Carlson
I agree. You don't want to take time away from management just to talk about things you can either email them about or meet 1:1. I do think meetings are important for brainstorming but it is a waste to have a meeting if you're not going to listen to your staff anyway and just do what you want to just for the sake of saying you want their input.
Michelle,
That is what retreats can be used for. Brainstorming is a whole other type of meeting. The freedom to express yourself and make long and short range plans. Regular meetings are for completing expectations for the team. Being clear about the expectations will keep people on track both before the meeting and during.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I have to say that the meetings we hold have always been benficial, and for most of the reasons mentioned in the course except brainstorming. As instructors we don't have much say in corporate statagies.
An adgenda is sent out prior to the meeting and most meetings last about an hour. After the meeting, minutes are sent out by email so if someone could not make the meeting, they would at least be advised of what we met about.
Rich,
It is evident the people organizing the meetings are practicing good techniques to make the best of a meeting. Meeting follow-up is taken care of by minutes.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I have a weekly data governance meeting that I truly feel is never cancelled, just so the person in charge can say he has regular meetings. We never accomplish anything. The sad thing is this could be a valuable committee meeting. I don't have time to take this meeting on, how do I get it back on track without taking the lead?
Lisa,
The best way to get meetings back on track is to speak up and focus on the issues at hand. This may be the meeting format or lack of control of the meeting participants to focus. Reveal the issue with everyone and you be the change agent.
Dr. Gary Carlson
