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Updated: June 1, 2020 Ask ACE

Ask ACE: How can I make business meetings meaningful?

By Jim Milliken, Consultant

Q: My management group meetings are a waste of time when they should be making a real contribution to our teamwork and the quality of our service. How can I make them meaningful?

ACE advises: Unfortunately, too many senior managers seem to assume good meetings will happen naturally when good people get together. Or they think mediocre results are inevitable despite the cost to morale and productivity.

They understand groups must share information and ideas, and think these awful sessions are the only way to do that.

Wrong!

Good meetings make solutions and initiatives both practical and creative. Groups benefit when members regularly spend constructive time together.

How do you make meetings good?

1. Make sure there is legitimate reason to meet. Meeting every Tuesday for three hours because we’ve always done it is a lousy reason. Key people should meet often, but rarely just to socialize. Make it a rule, then, to always have a specific topic and agenda. If nothing has come up in the regular course of the work, study the workings of the group or recent events that reveal a need or opportunity. Or something from current business literature.

2. Improve meeting participation by spreading responsibility. Having people prepare and lead group sessions is a great way to build their skills and confidence. Everyone will participate fully because their turn will come.

There are many ways to improve meetings. How about devoting a meeting to discussion of the communication practices in the group?

It is important, of course, to take the results seriously, perhaps by delegating the ideas to the originators for implementation.

Take all meetings seriously enough to make them meaningful. That will solve your problem.

Jim Milliken, a recently retired consultant, can be reached at millikenproject@gmail.com.

About ACE

The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a nonprofit association of independent consultants who value “Success through Collaboration.” The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com.

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