Repairing Meetings: 5 Key Ingredients for Success

Introduction

The authors of this piece have been studying how organizations can make the right things easier and the wrong things harder since 2014. In every workplace they’ve studied, helped, or worked at, they’ve found that meetings create wasteful and soul-crushing friction. To find out how to reduce that friction by “repairing” meetings, they conducted two studies — “Meeting Doomsday” and a “Meeting Reset” — at Asana, a company that builds work-management software. They used what they learned to create a step-by-step guide to help managers identify, eliminate, and repair broken meetings.

Key Ingredients for Success

1. Clear Purpose

The first key ingredient for success is a clear purpose. Meetings should have a specific goal or outcome, and everyone involved should understand what that is. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the meeting stays focused.

Why it matters:

When meetings lack a clear purpose, they can quickly become sidetracked and unproductive. This can lead to frustration and wasted time.

2. Limited Attendees

The second key ingredient is limited attendees. Meetings should only include the people who need to be there to achieve the meeting’s purpose. This helps to prevent unnecessary distractions and keeps the meeting focused.

Why it matters:

When too many people are involved in a meeting, it can be overwhelming and difficult to make decisions. This can lead to delays and inefficiencies.

3. Agenda and Preparation

The third key ingredient is an agenda and preparation. Meetings should have a clear agenda and attendees should be prepared to discuss the topics on the agenda. This helps to ensure that the meeting stays on track and that everyone is prepared to contribute.

Why it matters:

When meetings lack an agenda and preparation, they can quickly become disorganized and unproductive. This can lead to frustration and wasted time.

4. Time Constraints

The fourth key ingredient is time constraints. Meetings should have a set time limit and attendees should be expected to stay on topic and keep the discussion focused. This helps to prevent meetings from going on too long and keeps the discussion productive.

Why it matters:

When meetings lack time constraints, they can quickly become lengthy and unproductive. This can lead to frustration and wasted time.

5. Follow-up and Accountability

The fifth key ingredient is follow-up and accountability. Meetings should have a clear plan for follow-up and accountability, including who is responsible for completing tasks and when they will be completed. This helps to ensure that the meeting’s goals are achieved and that everyone is held accountable.

Why it matters:

When meetings lack follow-up and accountability, they can quickly become ineffective and unproductive. This can lead to frustration and wasted time.

Conclusion

By incorporating these five key ingredients into your meetings, you can reduce friction and increase productivity. Remember to keep your meetings focused, organized, and productive, and to hold everyone accountable for achieving the meeting’s goals.

FAQs

Q: How do I know if my meeting is broken?

A: If your meeting is disorganized, unproductive, or lacks a clear purpose, it may be broken. Look for signs such as lack of focus, unnecessary attendees, or a lack of clear goals.

Q: How do I repair a broken meeting?

A: To repair a broken meeting, start by identifying the root cause of the problem. Then, work to eliminate unnecessary attendees, create a clear agenda, and establish time constraints. Finally, follow up with attendees to ensure that the meeting’s goals are achieved.

Q: How do I prevent meetings from becoming broken in the first place?

A: To prevent meetings from becoming broken, make sure to establish clear goals and expectations from the start. Keep the meeting focused and organized, and hold everyone accountable for achieving the meeting’s goals.