Are You a Meeting Manager or a People Manager?

This is a question I frequently pose when facilitating leadership training sessions. Without fail, the answer reveals that managers often spend more time in meetings than investing in the people they lead.

While meetings are essential, it’s imperative to manage them effectively to avoid wasting time on issues with little or no direct impact on company value. Here are some techniques to make meetings more purposeful and impactful:

✔ Separate Operations from Strategy – Day-to-day operations should not dominate the meeting agenda. Dedicate time to strategic discussions.

✔ Focus on Decisions, Not Discussions – Define the purpose of each agenda item and distribute materials in advance to streamline discussions.

✔ Evaluate Agenda Items for Value – Assess the importance of each topic: What’s at stake?

✔ Resolve Issues Efficiently – Create a timetable for decision-making. Define when and how decisions will be reached, and identify who needs to approve the strategy.

✔ Present Clear Choices – Effective management requires alternatives to make informed decisions.

✔ Standardize Decision-Making – Use common processes, language, and methodologies to align the team and improve efficiency

✔ Ensure Decisions Stick – Allocate the necessary resources to execute strategies and clearly define the results expected over time

With these strategies, managers can strike a balance between leveraging meetings as a valuable tool and dedicating meaningful time to developing and empowering their teams. Are your meetings driving value, or is there room for improvement?

^{_{Adapted: Michael Mankins (HBR) | Photo: Medium}}