The truth is …
As an agile coach, especially if scrum is involved, I often hear that there are too many rituals and meetings.
This is a common issue in any organization. It’s not just a scrum problem. The problem is often not the number of meetings but how they are structured, leading to lengthy, unproductive discussions. Some meetings are so poorly managed that you’d prefer a root canal at the dentist’s.
So below are a few general tips that will improve how you and your organization manage meetings.
The result will be higher productivity and employees attending meetings without sour faces.
- 1. If you get an invitation, accept or decline it (if declining a reason given is friendly and polite)
By the way, tentative should only be an option if you are an optional invitee! - If you decline a meeting where you are needed, provide a deputy or, if not possible, inform the invited.
- Create or ask for an agenda.
- Ask the person inviting you if there is a need for you.
- Be aware of the fear of missing out (FOMO)
- Ask the person inviting you if you can prepare something.
- Ask the person if you are needed only for part of the meeting to go first and then leave.
- Ensure the meeting ends 5 Minutes early (you can set Outlook to do this automatically) so people can be on time for the next meeting.
Tell everyone that you have to leave 5 minutes before the meeting ends to make it on time to the next meeting. - Pay attention. Be in the meeting and not on your phone.
- Turn the screen off when you leave the meeting and give fresh air some chance to enter (the next team does appreciate it)
- Remove anything you drew on a whiteboard or flip chart.
- If you are running late and the following party knocks on the door, get up immediately and make room for them.
- If actions are to be taken, ensure you have a name and a due date.
- Make sure you prepare one-to-one whatever you can before the meeting.
- Have fun at the meetings.