Don't Be A Meeting Monkey!

I have always been a firm believer that having too many meetings is counter productive for any organization.  I confirmed this to be true time and time again during my career as a correctional consultant.  I had the opportunity to provide leadership consulting for a number of Juvenile Justice Organizations around the country and a consistent recommendation that I would have for these agencies was to reduce the number of meetings, and get to work. 

These agencies were full of a bunch of Meeting Monkeys- a group of little monkeys that sit around listening to the big monkey tell them alot of things they either: already know, don’t need to hear or could have been discussed via e-mail or a casual conversation.  

Not only do “Meeting Monkeys” have a lot of meetings, but they have a meeting to schedule another meeting; which was absolutely ludicrous!  Not only are employees sitting through generally boring meetings; they have preparation time, potential travel time and then download time after the meeting.  I have worked for “Meeting Monkeys” who liked to meet for meetings sake and it absolutely drove me crazy.   If you are that boss that requires your employees to participate in a lot of unecessary meetings, please stop because you are killing the morale and productivity.  If you work for a “Meeting Monkey,” speak up and challenge them to employ some new strategies.   Again, if the meetings are boring or just plain suck, let it be known!

By all means, there some meetings that are absolutely necessary; however “Don’t Me A Meeting Monkey!” Here are some strategies to consider as it relates to meetings: 

• If a meeting is regularly scheduled for 1 hour, change it to 45 minutes
• If you can handle it with a brief water cooler chat; don’t schedule a meeting
• Require only the necessary people to attend particular meetings
• Don’t allow laptops unless necessary; people will be surfing the web, e-mailing, chatting…
• Know your employees and facilitate types of meetings that motivate them
• Change the setting: Starbucks, Golf Course, Restaurants, Outside, Different location…
• Get rid of the PowerPoint presentations; to much prep time and nobody cares
• Get everyone involved; encourage everyone’s contribution
• Don’t get me started on conference calls!

Are you that “Big Meeting Monkey” or do you find yourself being forced to be one of the “Little Meeting Monkeys?” Share your thoughts and experiences as it relates to meetings!