Cut through the noise
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Success is not the result of a single action. It comes from a series of decisions, choices, and actions, it comes from consistently performing well, it may grow out of messy mistakes, and it certainly sometimes gets help from happy accidents along the way. This is true in life; it is also true of meetings. Relying on accidental success is a questionable approach—which is also true in life and meetings. Instead, embrace happy accidents when they occur, but use these questions to engineer successful meetings. Instead of posing many questions here, I could offer just one. The key question is “What is your plan?” Too often though, the response to it sounds like:
As with many things in life, it is easy to sit back and criticize how badly a meeting was managed but not quite as easy to do a better job. Truthfully, it isn’t difficult to run an effective meeting, but it does require knowing what goes into one. These questions will set you down the right path to leading meetings that inspire, engage, and get results. If you are in need of specific strategies to answer these questions and knock your meetings “outta the park” every time, my latest book does just that—in 60 minutes! The first title in the Smarter In An Hour series, Don’t Waste My Time: Expert Secrets for Meetings That Inspire, Engage, and Get Results is now available on Amazon. ©2019 Kimberly Devlin, All rights reserved
78 Comments
Sam Lee
2/11/2019 11:17:47 am
Great list of questions that every meeting organizer should have in mind. In my organization, I have found that establishing a clear agenda and committing to start and end times (items 1 and 2 above) have made meetings much more productive.
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Kimberly Devlin
2/12/2019 08:50:43 am
Sam - Thanks for sharing your take. I am curious, was there a coordinated effort in your organization to make this happen? If so, what adoption tips can you share?
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Shane Householder
3/5/2019 03:15:09 pm
Solid strategy that I plan to share. I am often surprised (I know I shouldn't be) when I arrive to a meeting and there is no agenda. Far too many people 'wing-it'.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/11/2019 10:00:13 am
You made me smile with your I-know-I-shouldn't-be-surprised "confession."
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Sue Rubish
3/18/2019 07:32:49 pm
I agree with the visuals. Sometimes we have monthly meetings just to see where we are at with an issue and I will bring a copy of a report I put together to hand out. This will usually get people asking questions and from that a discussion will come about that will typically result in an issue that wasn't caught last session and then everyone gets involved in finding a solution..
Alyssa Phillips
3/8/2019 04:32:03 pm
This is a great article! I think it's always a good idea to remember why you are having a meeting in the first place, and to make sure that you walk out getting that information. It's helpful for us to send out information to the group prior to the meeting so they know what will be discussed and even come with ideas ready. It can save time and set the tone before the meeting even starts. I also think #11 on this list is very important. We always try to have everyone leave a meeting knowing exactly what they need to do and when to have it done by.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/11/2019 11:28:16 am
I appreciate your focus on #11, Alyssa. Actions and follow through on commitments are key!
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Sue Rubish
3/18/2019 07:39:59 pm
I totally agree with you Alyssa. It saves a lot of time (precious for everyone) to be prepared before the meeting. We just started attaching deadlines to any given task to make people more responsible and respectful of other people's time. Otherwise, you could be holding up someone else by not completing a task or action item in a timely manner.
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Christine Dlugosz
3/11/2019 10:49:00 am
Kimberly, this is an excellent summary of tips for meetings! I recently attended a "Mastering Meetings" workshop and the biggest take away for me was "The meeting should start before the meeting!". Too often there is an assumption of "I'll explain everything at the meeting. I mean, that's what the meeting is for anyway, right?!"
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Kimberly Devlin
3/11/2019 03:23:04 pm
Thank you Christine. The work certainly happens beforehand!
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Blayre McCrum
3/14/2019 08:27:10 am
I agree that planning ahead makes for a much more effective meeting as I've seen it done both with a plan and winging it. Even with a plan, things come up you didn't expect, we all know that. But having a plan gives you something to refer to, go back to and/or bring the group back to. If you just wing it, it's much more difficult to stay on track, especially in the time you've allotted for the meeting. I think the 14 questions are helpful.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/14/2019 01:53:18 pm
So true Blayre. It is for this reason that two of the book's chapters are dedicated to proactively and reactively managing disruptive behaviors. Glad to hear the questions are helpful to you.
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Victoria Lee
3/14/2019 10:35:27 am
I love the comprehensive list of questions - it really hits on all points necessary to be aware of to plan and conduct a successful meeting. In my industry, the majority of meetings are done online via web conferencing, and most of the time our leaders have so many meetings that we cannot schedule more than 30 minutes at a time for any topic! Having such a small window to review and discuss important information risks our ability to conduct an impactful meeting. By using these questions and creating a strategic plan, especially in a limited time frame, can really boost my team's chances at getting the most out of the time we have! Thank you for sharing these pointers.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/14/2019 01:51:28 pm
I am glad you see value in them Victoria. Each of them is expanded on with detailed strategies and tools in the book Don't Waste My Time. Given the intense meeting environment you are describing, you (and your colleagues) can take a lot away from the book's quick read -- it is designed to be read in 60 minutes (just two of your meetings! haha).
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Stew Souders
3/14/2019 06:23:05 pm
Great tips, planning and forethought are so critical. Thank you for sharing! From my experience, “project focused” meetings often seem to have these elements well applied. It is the ad hoc or regularly reoccurring meetings that suffer from a lack of this…
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Kimberly Devlin
3/15/2019 10:26:50 am
Stew, THANK YOU for making the point that meetings such as staff meetings will benefit from the book's strategies. Sometimes people miss that in practice and staff meeting participants struggle to find value in the recurring meetings.
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Erika Frahm
3/15/2019 12:24:53 pm
Great list of questions. I have seen a leader very quickly use a few of these live in a meeting when there was no agenda. It was impressive and showed that a plan is critical to success even if it is generated in real time.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/15/2019 12:46:12 pm
Erika - thank you for acknowledging how the strategies in Don't Waste My Time can be used by a meeting PARTICIPANT to salvage an otherwise time-wasting meeting! And, yes, everyone notices when it is done skillfully.
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Kelsey McLachlan
3/15/2019 04:41:46 pm
Wow - I had never thought this much about meeting planning before! I am not someone who ~hates~ unorganized meetings as much as it seems the rest of the corporate world does, but I do find value in time well spent and productive thought. I think I will utilize a few of these questions the next time I host a meeting or am invited to a 'questionable' meeting. Thanks!
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Kimberly Devlin
3/16/2019 11:24:58 am
You are welcome, Kelsey!
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Sue Rubish
3/18/2019 09:39:55 am
My favorite is, "Is a meeting the best possible way to achieve the outcome(s)?" Sometimes I feel like some of our meetings are a waste of time because only one or two people have action items or reports and the others just sit an listen and don't give any feedback. I feel the report can just be sent out via email with a brief explanation and committee members can ask questions by replying to the email. But, truth be told, I like the concept of using all 14 questions. I feel these are good practices going forward.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/18/2019 02:16:42 pm
Sue, I am enjoying reading how many people have a "favorite" in the list! And, the one you selected certainly cuts right to the point....should we be meeting at all?
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Shaun Pate
3/18/2019 10:13:23 am
I love lists and tools that help me stay on track and focus. This list of questions sets professionals up for success in their planned meetings. And I, like others, think the best question might be the assessment of whether or not a meeting is the most appropriate method for success.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/18/2019 02:18:10 pm
Shaun, I am ALL about 'setting people up for success'...in the courses I lead, programs I design, and the books that I write. Thank you for striking a chord with me!
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Amaris Jackson
3/18/2019 12:17:25 pm
Great Post - I like the tips discussed in this post. This will help with consistency when it comes to meetings whether the same or different. I also like the point of making an agenda relevant to the outcomes wanted.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/18/2019 02:19:36 pm
Yes, Amaris...an agenda is only a starting point--it needs to be a WELL-CRAFTED one to be of real use.
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Kari MacDonald
3/18/2019 12:39:12 pm
This is a great post. I'm sure we've all been in numerous meetings thinking, "Why am I here - I have a million other things I could be doing"! I think asking these questions will go a long way in making meetings more productive.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/18/2019 02:20:26 pm
Please share an update after using them, Kari.
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Bryan Johnson
3/18/2019 01:52:08 pm
I would just add how refreshing it always is to attend a well-run meeting, one that is clear about its agenda, clips along through that agenda, deals with issues or assigns them to be dealt with, and that cuts off ruminations outside of the scope. It's always great to have someone in charge who allows discussion while keeping it focused.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/18/2019 02:22:15 pm
Isn't it, Bryan?! It should be the STANDARD....not the rare, refreshing event. Thanks for confirming it is possible - effective meetings do exist.
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Gianna Goodman
3/18/2019 05:23:53 pm
Often times, preparation for meetings with external clients is standard but is lacking for 'internal' meetings. This list is excellent and I will definitely utilize in the future.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/20/2019 05:17:18 pm
So true, Gianna!
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Amanda Rudy
3/19/2019 10:10:35 am
Great article! I agree planning a head of your meeting is the key to success. Ensuring you and the attendees all understand the meeting objective with each individual expectations clearly define prior to the meeting can help ensure an efficient and productive use of everyone's time.
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Kimberly Devlin
3/20/2019 05:19:07 pm
Yes, Amanda - and all meeting outcomes are NOT created equally! The formula for crafting effective outcomes is an essential ingredient to achieving results in meetings.
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3/19/2019 06:57:57 pm
Very nice stated. I have deployed this methodology to my meetings about 8 years ago. Often times in the past meetings were so no productive and just a time waster.
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Sarah Nelson
7/12/2019 03:34:26 pm
Great article! I especially liked your inclusion of questions #8 and #10. I would consider myself a skilled meeting leader/organizer and I never thought about anticipating what could go wrong and how to address it before the meeting takes place. Great advice all around. Thank you!
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Kimberly Devlin
7/16/2019 11:33:39 am
You are welcome - glad to be able to add to your toolkit Sarah!
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Stephanie Rourke
7/15/2019 02:56:36 pm
Good things to keep in mind. We are a tri-site (sometimes more) team where I am so we often have to incorporate teleconference or video conference in our meetings, so I feel another good addition is to know who is going to be attending the meeting ahead of time so that no one gets left out.
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Kimberly Devlin
7/16/2019 09:40:31 am
Agreed! 100% Thanks for this addition Stephanie.
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Alba Pazmino
7/17/2019 07:45:37 am
Thank you for this article. My plan is to print it and follow thru with the steps. I currently don’t host meetings but I am a part of them and these questions will help me to participate better in my meeting.
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Kimberly Devlin
7/18/2019 11:28:33 am
Thanks for recognizing their value as the meeting leader OR participant. By recasting many of these, you can help the leader run a better meeting. For example: Before we dive into the agenda, can we take a moment to define our goals for the meeting -- what we want to walk away with?" Said politely and respectfully, it can amplify the meeting's effectiveness.
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Kimberly Hawkins
7/17/2019 01:38:33 pm
These are great questions. This can be used a script of sorts. It is definitely a great way to start. With these questions answered before the meeting the first meeting should run smoothly, you will already have a lot of useful information and a direction to move in.
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Alba Pazmino
7/17/2019 02:12:00 pm
Yes, we do talk about disruptive behavior in the classroom. Adult learning comes in all different levels and we keep that in mind. I believe being able to learn is a skill that is learned. Your Question are Great & Im looking fwd to using them in our next meeting. :-) Thank You!!! 😊
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Kimberly Devlin
7/18/2019 11:30:47 am
Kim - There is a free resource you can download related to disruptive behavior. You can access it here https://www.kimberlydevlin.com/dont-waste-my-time.html (from the "Free Content" link)
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Amber Renee Dollar
7/17/2019 05:02:38 pm
I work remotely, which makes some of the components easier, and some more difficult. It's sometimes difficult to know whether behavior management is needed when the meeting is virtual. Having a clear agenda, outcome and expectations have proven to be extremely successful in my organization.
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Kimberly Devlin
7/18/2019 11:37:03 am
Amber - the more engaged your meeting process requires meeting members to be, the more evident it will become when they are not on task.... (just a thought for you to consider). Kudos to you for the clear agendas, outcomes, and expectations. Defined "Process" will complement what you are already doing well perfectly!
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Kristen Renkes
7/18/2019 10:19:43 am
I have sat on many meetings that are intended to be monthly status updates for our company’s Executive Team. There is always a lengthy agenda that has a designated start time but rarely an end. These meetings are never less than six hours long and sometimes span over two days. I understand that the purpose of the meeting is to keep the team informed of the status of the company but there simply has to be a better (not to mention less time consuming) way to transfer the necessary knowledge. Any thoughts?
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Kimberly Devlin
7/18/2019 11:35:07 am
If the meetings are yours to run....what about instituting a process for "updaters" to provide succinct written updates and then use the meeting time to discuss concerns/questions/competing priorities among them? By designating X minutes per group/department/etc. and a planned process for each meeting segment, an end time can be established. Meetings will often fill the time available -- whether that is 16 minutes, 60 minutes, or 6 hours (ouch!).
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Hector Benitez
7/19/2019 11:44:23 am
The first 2 alone are gold to me. I can't even begin to tell you how many times meetings turn out to be a waste of time. AND THEN to make matters worse, sometimes, it's an extended waste of time because future meetings are talked about as a result of the current meeting. Most of the times, meetings are not that necessary, so #2 is my go to.
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Kimberly Devlin
7/20/2019 11:01:54 am
Hector -
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Shona McClelland
7/20/2019 08:05:39 pm
This is a great checklist for meetings both big and small. I think alot of these things are sometimes glossed over for smaller meetings (in my org at least) where ppl tend to "wing it" because it's with a smaller cross-section of co-workers. And these meetings tend to meander all over the place even if there's a specific reason for meeting. I find these to be a drain on my productivity level. A simple review of this list could curtail so many things that are frustrating at meetings. Thanks!
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Kimberly Devlin
7/22/2019 05:21:47 pm
Yes, Shona! Smaller meetings, and those between people with close relationships can be the worst offenders of wasting time.
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Filip Kmita
7/21/2019 06:21:08 am
Great tips, Kimberly, Even though I was aware of at least some of them, I definitely tend to lose sight of them when the moment comes. And I've been in a "this meeting should've been an email" situation too many times not to chuckle internally whenever this happens.
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Kimberly Devlin
7/22/2019 05:20:08 pm
Filip - How true that we often 'know' things and fail to focus on them in the moment that we need them. For this reason, I am an advocate of job aids - and you can find a number of them on here on the pages dedicated to individual books...free to download.
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7/21/2019 05:34:39 pm
I think there are a lot of great and useful points here. And there's no doubt that planning a meeting in advance in something like the way described here is really important and helpful.
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Kimberly Devlin
7/22/2019 05:18:07 pm
No harm in quibbling, Jeff! So, you are 100% right...setting a meeting is not about picking an arbitrary duration and 'hoping' it lines up. But, what it is about, is creating a process and plan for the meeting -- based on your goals for it and determining the duration of each process...which will total to your meeting length.
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Karen Jirik
7/22/2019 08:52:35 am
To meet or not to meet, that is the question or should be. The first two questions are so important to determine if a meeting is warranted but my favorite question is, once it is establised that a meeting will occur, how does your agenda support achieving the outcome(s)? By asking this questions you will assure everyone walks away from the meeting feeling thier time was not wasted and the agenda moves the outcomes forward. If they stick to the agenda....
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Kimberly Devlin
7/22/2019 05:10:50 pm
Karen, your opener here makes me smile, having studied Shakespeare before earning my masters degree. You raise the fly in the ointment too -- losing sight of the reasons for meeting and following your plan for it. Nicely said.
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Erica Terrell
7/22/2019 10:36:52 am
Whenever I hold meetings, I make sure I have an outline for the agenda/topics that will be covered and what specific questions that need answering - but this list is way more expansive! Surprisingly, I've never even thought about how to manage unruly behavior. Thank you for this!!
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Kimberly Devlin
7/22/2019 05:08:05 pm
Could it be that you are so fortunate as to not have experienced unruly meeting members? Oh, how fortunate--and rare--that makes you! :-)
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Amma Napier
9/16/2019 09:43:21 am
I like the succinct list of questions for organizing a meeting. I have found meeting "design" to be one of the most critical leadership skills, thanks for sharing this perspective.
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Kimberly Devlin
9/21/2019 05:31:58 pm
You are welcome!
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Rebecca Brooks
9/16/2019 04:11:03 pm
These questions are a great guide. Having goals and an agenda (and sharing them) is so helpful in getting a group to focus and work together. Timing is also important. Too soon in a project wastes time, and too late in a project can create a little chaos.
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Kimberly Devlin
9/21/2019 05:32:58 pm
Rebecca, I am smiling trying to imagine a "little chaos" :-)
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Rachelle McGowan
8/21/2020 07:02:29 am
I could not agree more with this article. With me being so new to my company I have noticed that some meetings are very unorganized and there is no end result. Whenever I have a meeting, I always make a meeting agenda to send to the participants. This also helps with time management of the meeting and it also gives structure.
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Kimberly Devlin
8/21/2020 09:41:21 am
Thanks Rachelle! Kudos to you for modeling the desired behavior.
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Shannon
8/26/2020 09:28:18 pm
Great points, Kimberly. Now, for a Zoom edition! :) Many listed questions still apply -- and I'm sure many of us could use some v2.0 guidance with the influx of virtual meetings!!
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Kimberly Devlin
8/31/2020 08:57:22 pm
Thanks Shannon. Perhaps your suggestion will be a blog post coming to an Internet connection near you soon!
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Aneisa
8/31/2020 02:54:08 pm
Great blog posts. I have facilitated many meetings in my career and have never asked or answered these questions. This is very helpful.
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Kimberly Devlin
8/31/2020 08:47:26 pm
On the bright side, Aneisa, your next meeting will be the perfect time to begin!
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Karen L. Coburn
9/2/2020 09:42:37 pm
These are great questions to ask prior to a meeting. I believe I do most of these but in a very scattered way. It's nice to have this as a mini guide!
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Kimberly Devlin
9/4/2020 08:59:06 am
Glad to be of help!
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Ginny Bennett-Helmick
9/2/2020 11:50:16 pm
I am the first person to admit that I hate pointless meetings. I learned a long time ago that meeting for for the sake of meeting is generally a waste of time. If it is not necessary, don’t do it. The list of questions is an excellent guide for outlining a productive meeting, especially when working on a project. Clearly defined roles establish clear expectations and move the process along. Disruptive behavior probably creates the greatest amount of anxiety for me personally, especially if it is from a superior. People who attend with their own agenda and try to completely change the course of a meeting have been my greatest challenge in my current position. After the first time, I acknowledged their concerns and it’s importance and offered to set up a time after the current meeting about the topic at hand with them to personally discuss the additional matter further.
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Kimberly Devlin
9/4/2020 08:59:52 am
Well said Ginny.
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Justin Sochacki
9/3/2020 04:48:54 am
This is a very useful list to apply to meeting planning. I always appreciate attending a well structured meeting with clear objectives and a role. I have found it interesting, during the pandemic however, that some meetings often now include just time to socialize and chat on random topics. And I have to say, I really look forward to the informal socializing that sometimes seeps into our meetings.
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Kimberly Devlin
9/4/2020 09:02:19 am
Excellent observation Justin. The post was written well before the current state of significantly increased work-from-home arrangements. There is nothing to say we can't allocate time into meetings' timelines for the relationship-building socializing elements! Thank you for your insightful comment.
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Ona-Lee Davis
1/20/2022 11:21:14 am
Great list of questions! I've found that an agent as well as objective of meetings (whether in-person or virtual) are extremely beneficial.
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Kimberly Devlin
1/20/2022 05:20:55 pm
You raise a good point about the applicability for both face-to-face and virtual meetings!
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