In many companies, meetings are convened every time an issue arises. As a result, an abundance of meetings ensues, leading to a vicious cycle of unresolved issues.
The efficiency and quality of meetings significantly influence how work is conducted within a company. Therefore, the methodology of conducting meetings should not be underestimated.
So, what does it take to host effective meetings? Below, I’ll introduce five crucial principles.
1. Discuss Action Plans, Not Just Problems
Meetings require clear agendas. Materials related to the agenda should be prepared in advance, and it’s essential not to hold meetings if preparation hasn’t been adequately done.
For instance, in monthly business analysis meetings, it’s crucial to assess whether action plans towards achieving objectives are being executed. Each presenter should explain action plans rather than focusing solely on problems.
The ultimate goal of a meeting is to solve specific issues and execute actions. Therefore, the focal point of the meeting should be the discussion of action plans, not just exchanging opinions or deliberating on problems.
2. Led by Responsible Parties
The organizer of the meeting should be the person responsible for problem-solving. Being responsible, they will strive to make the meeting successful.
When someone who isn’t responsible for problem-solving leads the meeting, it merely progresses formally, with no real interest in the outcome. This is a significant mistake in meeting methodology.
While executives may sometimes lead meetings in many companies, except for strategic meetings, executives shouldn’t be leading meetings. Strategic meetings are the responsibility of executives, but for other meetings, responsibility lies with others, and the organizer should be delegated accordingly.
For example, product meetings or management meetings don’t necessarily require executives to lead; the responsible party should take charge.
3. Keep Daily Meetings Within 40 Minutes
The duration of meetings, including start and end times, speaking time, time for consensus-building, and time for reviewing action plans, should all be predetermined.
Except for strategic meetings, annual meetings, or semi-annual meetings, daily meetings should be kept within 30 minutes, ideally no more than 40 minutes.
There are two reasons for shortening meeting durations:
Firstly, participants in meetings often hold significant positions, so the longer the meeting, the higher the company’s costs.
Secondly, the effectiveness of meetings is more related to preparation than to their duration. With sufficient preparation, meetings can be more efficient.
4. Eliminate “To Be Discussed Next Time”
In management meetings, reaching conclusions is essential. Carrying over agenda items or saying “we’ll discuss this next time” is not permissible.
When meetings don’t progress well, whether due to lack of conclusion, straying off-topic, or conflicting opinions, effective decision-making cannot occur.
In daily meetings, ensure everyone understands what needs to be done, enabling immediate execution post-meeting.
5. Clarify Customer Value Across Three Meetings
Executives are recommended to conduct the following three meetings:
- A meeting with the management team to discuss the customer value the company aims to create.
- A meeting with product development personnel to discuss customer value in product development.
- A meeting with sales personnel to discuss how to convey customer value in the market.
The reason for conducting these meetings is to prevent the common mistake of inconsistent shared customer value across the company.
In many companies, there’s a significant discrepancy in internal communication of customer value. This leads to significant differences in value provided to customers, causing internal losses and management issues.
Most companies don’t hold meetings to discuss overall customer value. Typically, management meetings are conducted instead of meetings aimed at discussing customer value.
I’ve participated in monthly meetings in many companies, discussing the market, customers, and value creation. However, the most discussed topics in these meetings are often the status of budget targets, reasons for not achieving them, plans for the next month, feasibility, and analysis if next month’s plans couldn’t be executed.
These meetings don’t contribute effectively to management.
By holding three specific meetings, a company can unify its understanding of customer value across the organization, reducing losses.
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