Consider an in-person meeting with another individual:
If it can be done in person, could it be done over a phone call?
If it can be done over a phone call, could it be done over an email?
If it can be done over email, could it be done over a text?
The impetus for this post comes after attending a not-too-productive meeting, in which all the information could have been as effectively shared over email. Had it been so, the time together could have been more meaningful, or at least the collective energy to organize could have been saved.
Now, to how many clubs and organizations does this apply? How are you leading your tribe?
When others have trusted you with their time, life’s most precious asset, it’s in our own best interest to reciprocate that recognition of value.
Very valuable insight Kevin. I too have found myself feeling that some time could have been better spent doing something else, whether it be an in-person meeting or a long texting chat. I think a caveat though is the value of going up one tier in your ladder of questions. In other words, the content of an in-person meeting could be covered over a quick phone call, but taking the time to face each other physically could be more valuable than it may at first seem. Ultimately though, for the collective good of an organization, this flow chart can be useful to maximize efficiency.
I always find that a meeting is beneficial for initial meetings and update meetings. Anything in between can be done via email or even a phone call. The pandemic has made this worse, as Zoom has become prevalent and therefore people can schedule meetings more easily. In a way, this is better, but still sometimes wildly inefficient.
Great insight Kevin! I agree with you that for the purposes of productivity and efficiency, it’s important to consider how we structure meetings. Meetings are essential and yet, too often, they become huge, long and dragging productivity-killers.
At the same time though, we should be cognizant that meetings are not simply to communicate information or get things done. After all, the purpose of meetings can also literally be “meeting,” seeing people face-to-face and developing that cherished level of interaction that is too often missing from today’s fast-paced world.
How do we balance the need for efficiency versus the human desire for connection? I’m curious, are there any innovations to the traditional meeting model that you are aware of?
Hi Henry, I definitely can appreciate the value of face-to-face interactions, especially after so many months virtual. I would say the people vs productivity calculus of meetings isn’t mutually exclusive – when there is chemistry in a meeting, where there is candor and respect, these meetings also become more productive.
To answer your second question, meetings have been streamlined with the advances in technology, where the friction to set up, RSVP, and join (virtual and in-person) meetings is much easier through services like Google Calendar. From Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, he also discusses how the physical space can influence meetings – the psychology of meetings when a leader is positioned at the end of a long table, when members are left out from the center of discussion because of an elongated table, or the egalitarian structure of a round-table.