How many meetings do you attend each week where you walk out frustrated, feeling like nothing was accomplished, nothing moved forward, and the only clear outcome is an invitation to a follow-up meeting? Now, be honest: how many times have you been the host of that same kind of meeting? It’s a tough pill to swallow, but let’s admit it… many of our meetings probably suck.

Meetings are one of the biggest potential time-wasters in business today. This isn’t because meetings themselves are inherently bad, but because we often don’t invest the necessary time and discipline to make them successful. How much planning went into your last meeting? Was there a clear agenda sent in advance? Was there a stated purpose, and what happened when discussions started to derail it? For all our good intentions, the “busyness” of work often prevents us from doing the most crucial part of hosting effective meetings: planning.

A Framework for Meetings That Actually Accomplish Something

Here are guidelines to build into your approach for planning and executing meetings that drive results, especially critical when dealing with strategic initiatives like technology changes or IT projects where clarity and alignment are paramount:

1. Define the Explicit Purpose (Why are we meeting?):
   • Before sending any invitation, be crystal clear on the meeting’s purpose, as this dictates the audience and structure:
     • Information Share: Likely a larger audience of relevant stakeholders. Structure it as a presentation with Q&A at the end, not an open-ended discussion.
     • Working Session: A small, focused group of subject matter experts needed to work through specific issues. If multiple disconnected problems exist, timebox segments and involve only necessary people for each.
     • Decision Making: Invite only those responsible for making the decision. A larger audience will dilute focus and hinder decisiveness.
2. Ask the Critical Question: “Do I Really Need This Meeting?”
   • Challenge yourself. Can the same goals be achieved through individual conversations, a well-crafted email update, a shared document with feedback, or another mechanism? You might find you can eliminate half your planned meetings with honest self-assessment.
3. Document: Purpose, Agenda, and Desired Outcomes:
   • Before the invite goes out, clearly articulate:
     • The specific purpose (based on #1).
     • A time-boxed agenda that supports that purpose.
     • The tangible outcomes you expect from the meeting.
4. Send a Comprehensive Invite (with Pre-Reads):
   • Your invitation should include not just time and place (or virtual link), but the purpose, agenda, desired outcomes, and any supporting materials. Distribute all materials at least 24 hours in advance to allow attendees to prepare.
5. Pre-Wire Your Audience (Especially for Decisions):
   • For decision-making meetings, significantly improve efficiency by “pre-wiring” key decision-makers. Share critical information and context with them beforehand so they have time to process and are ready to be decisive in the meeting, rather than expecting them to digest complex information and decide on the spot.
6. Facilitate with Focus & Structure (Own the Meeting):
   • You structured the meeting for a reason – now, facilitate it accordingly.
     • Open on time with structure: Reiterate the purpose, agenda, and desired outcomes to set expectations.
     • Squash distractions quickly: Politely but firmly redirect off-topic discussions. Use a “parking lot” (a visible list on a whiteboard or shared doc) for valid but unrelated points, committing to address them later. This acknowledges the input without derailing the current agenda.
     • Engage all voices: Actively solicit input from quieter attendees to ensure diverse perspectives are heard.
     • Finish with a clear review: Before adjourning, recap the purpose, all decisions made, all next steps with assigned owners and due dates, and how parking lot items will be handled.
7. Send Timely Minutes/Recap:
   • Document outcomes, decisions, and action items and distribute them promptly. This provides a written record and reinforces accountability. As a fractional CIO, ensuring clear documentation and follow-up from strategic IT meetings is crucial for maintaining momentum on key initiatives.

What’s Next

Meetings don’t have to suck. By consciously applying these planning and facilitation principles, you can transform them from time-wasting frustrations into productive, value-driving engagements. Imagine actually accomplishing all stated goals in one meeting, with clear next steps and no immediate follow-up meeting required! That small upfront investment in planning will save significant time and energy in the long run, helping your SMB “Succeed Sooner.”

Is your SMB suffering from “death by meeting“? Are unproductive meetings hindering your progress on critical business or technology initiatives? If you’re looking for a partner who values efficient processes and can help bring structure and focus to your strategic discussions, let’s connect with Succeed Sooner Consulting.