Date: 5/24/2017

Title: MEETINGS THAT MATTER – Part 1

By Jennifer Erickson

Common refrains through hallways of companies are: “Another meeting? Crap!” or “Why do we have to meet on that again? I thought it was settled!” Or “Sometimes I think she likes to hold meetings just to remind us she is in charge!” If you hear these questions, it’s well past time to scrutinize your schedule of meetings.

One of the most important questions to ask, about meetings, is “Why”? Why are we holding this meeting? Why do we need to be discussing this as a group? Why do I think something will be gained, by holding this meeting? If you aren’t able to answer those questions with a solid, productive answer….don’t hold the meeting.

Research tells us that when we are “in the zone” and humming along on a project, even the tiniest interruption (Hey, we’re going to the coffee shop. What can we bring you?) can cause us to lose our mental place. It can take 10 to 15 minutes to get back “in that zone”. Imagine how long it would take to get mentally productive again, after a meeting that was a waste of time! And, just for fun (well, not really) count the number of people attending a meeting. It doesn’t matter if the meeting is virtual or physical. Now, multiply those people’s salaries by the number of hours in that meeting. This shocking amount provides a dollar value to time wasted in meetings. And remember, we haven’t yet factored in the time to get “back in the zone”.

To learn more about how to practice this understanding, contact Results Group, LLC at www.ResultsGroupLLC.com or 515-330-2866.