If you’re like me you absolutely can not wait to attend the next company meeting.  You probably spend sleepless nights pondering with anticipation what exciting content might be presented at the informative, team-building functions.  Yeah Right.  NOT!!  When I speak of meetings, I’m of course talking about the regularly scheduled weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or whatever meetings that tend to zap the life force right out of you (and everyone else).  Now does that seem a little more like the meetings you are used to?

Having been the fly on the wall at several companies in the capacity of a objective third party, I can attest to many ways to not run your company meetings.  Rarely do I see a company actually create a meaningful agenda that maintains the attentiveness and participation of its attendees. 

The first question to ask yourself when contemplating meetings is, WHY?   Are you having a meeting as a reason to get the troops together?  To brainstorm an issue?  To educate?  To inspire or motivate?  To have a meeting because that is what everyone else does?  To make the company look like it is doing something?  What is your reason??  If you don’t have a valid reason, by all means, PLEASE don’t schedule a meeting.  Some companies have meetings just because they were already set on the calendar, or because they are a regularly scheduled meeting.  That is not an example of a valid reason.

Below is my best list of 10 things you shouldn’t do relating to your company meetings.  This is addressed to leaders.  So leaders should take special note of those items that resemble their organizations and then formulate a way to not repeat these mistakes.

1. Honoring the regularly scheduled meeting.  If you don’t have a great agenda at least four days prior to the meeting, then cancel the meeting.  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that something great will present itself between now and then.  It won’t happen.
2. Scheduling a Vendor or product provider to speak.  No one wants to attend a meeting where they are being sold to.  It doesn’t matter even if the vendor paid for the bagels.  Don’t do it.  It is a waste of your team’s time.
3. Starting the meeting without a previously distributed agenda.  This begs the question; are we all professionals?  Not having an agenda shows a lack of respect for your people’s time.  Are we playing office or do we exhibit the habits of successful corporations.  If it is the later, then have an agenda available for everyone to examine prior to the meeting.
4. Starting Late.  Nothing is more irritating to your team than disregarding the value of their time by starting a meeting late.  Perhaps you have late-comers and you need to start late to make sure they are at the meeting?  Did you ever stop to think that they might come late because they know you’ll wait on them?  Don’t reward the late-comers at the expense of the professionals in your organization.  While we’re on the subject, don’t go over time either.  Push the agenda forward to the next meeting or send a follow-up report out on the company blog, intranet or other communication source.
5. Calling the meeting because you’re the Boss!  I know, it sounds awful, but I’ve seen it.  An ego driven leader who calls the meeting because they want to touch base, check-in, monitor or “chat” with the troops.  Put your ego aside and put together a meaningful agenda that everyone can rally around.  If you want to check-in with everyone, do that while walking around, in one-on-ones or in accountability meetings.
6. Making a surprise announcement.  There a very few reasons to keep a secret from your team in order for you to enjoy the anticipation of the moment.  Why would you want to blind-side your group?  Unless we’re talking merger, acquisition or some proprietary secret that, if leaked, could put the company at jeopardy, don’t withhold information from your group.  Chances are, if you take the time to put it on the agenda, you can build momentum and excitement around your announcement prior to the meeting.
7. Having departmental reports.   Some corporate cultures utilize company meetings as a way for each department to provide a five minute report on what they are doing and what they might be focusing on for the week, month, etc.   Meanwhile all the other attendees who are not speaking, reporting or listening, drift off to the place where day dreams are made.  What if there were six department reports.  That’s 30 minutes and at least 25 when others in the room were bored to tears.  You could accomplish the same by providing a written report on the company communication board, forum or blog.
8. Thinking that you’re the only capable speaker.  This is another ego driven decision.  Many leaders are guilty of this, including myself.  They love to be in front of people (yet another reason to not have a meeting!)  It is even worse if you’re really not a good speaker.  Ouch!  Show leadership by grooming others into public speakers.  Delegate reports, updates, education and miscellaneous agenda points to others within your organization.
9. Utilizing a meeting to make an example out of someone.  Hard to believe, but it does happen.  Management isn’t pleased with someones performance, decision or behavior, and they take the opportunity to speak about the problem in the company meeting.  Perhaps they don’t use names, or expose the person.  Regardless, it is not the place.  If we have a training issue, then design a training program to deal with the problem.  If it is a performance issue, then put the person on a plan in a one-on-one meeting.  If it is behavior, deal with it.  If they are a problem, fire them!  Don’t talk about them in a meeting.  Even though you might not point them out, chances are the everyone knows who you are talking about and everyone will wonder what you’ll do when they step out of line. 
10. Allowing your agenda to turn into a gripe session.   How familiar does this one sound?  I don’t know how many meetings I’ve attended in my professional career where some prima dona or dismal Dan was using the opportunity to commiserate, complain or confront leadership.  It’s up to you Mr. Leader to stop it and deal with it.  Saying something like, “We have an agenda and we need to stay on track.  Let’s catch a few moments in my office right after the meeting!”  I guarantee you this will put you back in control.  If you’re meetings are always like this, then you have some cultural issues that need to be explored.

In my next post I’ll be discussing the 10 things that you’ll want to make sure to do in your company meetings.  Please feel free to add to my list by making a comment below.  I’m sure I didn’t capture all the possibilities.  Plus my readers are the best at providing deeper insight.

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