Meetings are a necessary evil in most workplaces. Even though meetings are supposed to enable information sharing, facilitate decision making, and foster meaningful connections, we probably feel the soul-destroying experience of poorly managed meetings at least once a week. According to HBR’s Leslie A. Perlow, Constance Noonan Hadley, and Eunice Eun (how many meetings do you think they had during their study?!), executives spend an average of 23 hours per week in meetings, up from less than 10 hours per week in the 1960s. And most of these meetings are unproductive, boring, and frustrating. Inc’s Minda Zetlin highlights the outcomes and behaviours generated by bad meetings – in one study, nearly 40% of employees admitted to dozing off during meetings and 75% admit to scrolling social media, reading books, shopping online, or doing other work. Worst of all, meetings are not only a waste of time and money, but also a waste of energy, creativity, and potential. Bad meetings can lower the collective intelligence of a group and reduce the motivation and satisfaction of the participants.
In other words, bad meetings suck life out of us.
One specific thing that makes meetings bad is that power is not distributed equitably or intelligently. Oftentimes the boss or the loudest employees (we call them “The Louds” on our team) dominate meetings. Meetings can – and should – be sources of inspiration, innovation, and connection. Here are three ways to rebalance power during meetings and make them more awesome.
Don’t have meetings
This may sound radical, but sometimes the best way to avoid bad meetings is to avoid meetings altogether. Not every task or project requires a meeting. In fact, some of the most creative and productive work happens when people have time and space to think, write, and work independently. Fast Company’s Paul Glover has thoughts:
Once you know the meeting’s purpose, ask is a meeting is the best way to accomplish the purpose? Consider other methods of communication instead (email, conference calls). Meetings are best when face-to-face interaction is important (a performance review or reenergizing a group). Giving instructions or checking on progress does not require a meeting.
And some of the most effective communication happens when people use asynchronous tools, like co-creating documents hosted in the cloud, sharing information through Slack or Teams, and making decisions with up-voting tools . These tools allow quieter voices and introverted thinkers to express their ideas and opinions, without being overshadowed by louder or more dominant personalities. They also allow people to work at their own pace, and avoid the stress and pressure of meeting deadlines and agendas.
Embrace meeting technology
Sometimes, meetings are necessary, but they don’t have to be boring or frustrating. Technology can help us make meetings more engaging, interactive, and inclusive. For example, using comments, breakout groups, or even post-it notes (old school technology) can distribute peoples’ voices by providing other options for contributing other than talking. These methods can also stimulate creativity, collaboration, and feedback, by allowing people to see different perspectives, generate ideas, and share insights. Technology can also help us make meetings more efficient, by reducing the need for travel, enabling remote participation, and recording and documenting the outcomes.
Cultivate healthy dissent
This may sound risky, but cultivating dissent is one of the most powerful ways to improve meetings and team performance. Google’s Project Aristotle showed the world that the most productive teams are the ones that have psychological safety, which means that people feel comfortable to speak their mind (especially to the boss) and challenge assumptions without fear of being punished or rejected.
A key factor that creates psychological safety is the ability of employees to criticize the boss. When a team’s most senior member is open to criticism, it signals that everyone’s voice matters, that mistakes are opportunities for learning, and that feedback is a gift. It also creates a culture of trust, respect, and accountability, where people are more willing to share their ideas, opinions, and concerns, and work together to solve problems and achieve goals.
Conclusion
Meetings are a part of our work life, but they don’t have to suck. By following these three ways to rebalance power during meetings, we can make them more productive, inclusive, and fun. We can also make them more meaningful, by aligning them with our purpose, values, and vision. So, next time you have a meeting, try one of these tips, and see the difference. And I hope that your meetings in the weeks ahead are more awesome.