Unproductive meetings are an occupational hazard you must avoid at all costs. These time-sucking vampires are the consequence of multi-tasking participants, poor planning and a phenomenon known as ‘groupthink’.
Studies show 15% of an organisation’s collective time is spent in meetings, and virtual meetings company, Fuze, found executives consider more than 67% of meetings to be failures.
“We hold meetings to share expertise, perspective and experience. They enhance employee buy-in to organisational change, and yield decisions of a higher calibre than those, which could be made independently” - Managing Director of R & G Technologies, Gordon Tan.
Thusit’s critical to develop innovative strategies to avoid the pitfalls of unproductive meetings.
Instead of using audio conferencing, use video conferencing to stop multi-taskers from becoming disengaged. Disseminate meeting materials early, and steer participants away from the agreeing by default, welcoming diverse viewpoints.
Keep reading to learn three strategies used by successful business owners around the globe.
1. Stop serial multi-taskers
Audio conferencing often leads to remote workers splitting their focus across multiple tasks, despite being in a virtual meeting. Use high definition video software to keep remote workers from becoming disengaged and distracted.
One of the top three reasons meetings are unproductive is because ‘remote participants aren’t engaged.’ Studies have shown 57% of people say they’re likely to multitask during a phone call, whereas only 5% would multi-task during a video conference.
The CEO of Global Integration, Kevan Hall uses video conferencing to stop multitasking during virtual meetings. However, he adds it’s the responsibility of the person conducting the meeting to keep participants focussed, and provide opportunities for engagement.
For example, GoToMeeting supports screen-sharing and shared keyboard and mouse, meaning both participants can interact with the meeting material. In addition, the annotation and drawing tools can be used to engage those usually bored stiff by static presentations.
Prevent participants from multi-tasking by leveraging the full benefits of video-conferencing software, and you’ll hold meetings, which actually increase organisational productivity, rather than detract from it.
2. Send materials in advance
Distributing relevant information at least a day before the meeting, ensures there’s no time wasted ‘catching up’ individuals in place of discussion.
Many meetings fail due to a ‘lack of planning and structure’. Oftentimes, inadequate preparations mean team members aren’t aware of what the issues is, or why their presence is required. Fuze recommends sending materials in advance to combat this problem.
The CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner not only distributes materials the day before, but has also implemented ten minutes of silent reading at the start of each meeting. He explains, “Just because the material has been sent doesn’t mean it’s been read.”
Anyone who hasn’t read the material can catch up, while others who have, review it in greater depth. The result is less time wasted catching others up, and discussing irrelevant or outdated information.
Many companies disseminate materials via email, not realising file-sharing services can simplify this process remarkably. For example, Dropbox has centralised administration, which means you can provision access on a user by user basis, so you don’t miss any contacts.
In addition, Dropbox’s versioning capabilities mean no one will accidentally read the wrong version when updates are issued, and all participants will receive updates at the same.
Sending materials in advance not only saves time, but adds to the effectiveness of the meeting. Use a file-sharing service to simplify this process, reducing effort spent on preparations and increasing productivity.
3. Avoid ‘Groupthink’
‘Groupthink’ occurs when participants in a group discussion strive for consensus, resulting in unchallenged and poor-quality decisions. Prevent this situation by encouraging a collaborative culture, which welcomes diversity, and encourages opposing opinions.
Research has shown groups have a tendency to ‘undervalue information that a single member shares with the group, especially when that information conflicts with their prior conclusions’. Therefore, organisations must cultivate a climate, where everyone can trust that they can share their thoughts, ideas and opinions without negative repercussions either during or after the session.
The COO of Newsala, Sean Higby recommends inviting junior team members into meetings and soliciting their feedback.
“Their ears are often closer to the street so they instinctually know what your customers want. Often they’re working for you because they’re a fan of the industry and are up on the latest, yet-to-be-reported trends, and their opinions are not clouded by what other people think is not possible” - COO of Newsala, Sean Higby.
One way to build open, honest dialogue is to use different channels of communication. For example, collaboration and communications software Microsoft SharePoint, provides a secure place for team members to view, comment and post content in a non-confrontational manner. SharePoint provides a centralised location for company data, communications and collaboration, closing the gaps inorganisational hierarchy.
Encourage a collaborative company culture to keep meetings from becoming a popularity contest. Instead of dismissing diverse perspectives, embrace them as catalysts for innovation and change.
Productive meetings
Meetings don’t have to suck the time and energy out of your workforce. Use video conferencing to stop remote workers from multi-tasking during meetings. Disseminate the relevant information early, and encourage a culture driven by diversity. Transform the way you hold meetings, and your organisation will experience new heights in creativity, performance and productivity.
Do you need help evaluating the best tools to make your meetings more productive?
R & G Technologies is a Brisbane IT Support and IT Consulting firm that helps organisations across Australia. We can help you make better use of new cloud technologies - like Gotomeeting, Lync and Dropbox - to improve your meetings. Call us on 1300 562 886 or contact us via this page.