Why Would Anyone Hold a Bad Meeting?

Pssst, want a stock tip that will make you rich? Okay, here it is: phone a public corporation and ask to speak with the CEO.

If a secretary tells you that the CEO expects to be busy in meetings for the next six hundred years, call your broker and sell the stock short. Any company unable to manage an activity that should last an hour is on its way down the financial tubes.

Although it's true that senior executives spend much of their time in meetings, you can bet that a business is in trouble if their meetings are out of control.

Surveys show companies waste an average of 20% of their payroll on bad meetings. And that's just the beginning of the problem. Meetings keep people away from the tasks they were hired to perform -- tasks that make money for the company and keep the business ahead of the competition.

Since bad meetings are so wasteful, you may wonder why anyone tolerates them. Unfortunately, many business leaders think that their meetings are just fine. They even believe that they're experts at holding effective meetings.

For example, when I phone companies to ask if they would be interested in improving their meetings, I sometimes encounter an assistant who assures me that the executives believe that they hold wonderful meetings. Then the assistant snickers, coughs softly, and regains enough composure to state that they don't need my services. At this point the assistant sounds like someone on a sinking ship who is throwing a life jacket into the water.

And that must make you wonder: why any intelligent person would hold a meeting that wastes everyone's time and produces nothing.

There are easy answers such as 1) they don't know that their meetings could be effective, 2) they don't know what an effective meeting is like, or 3) they don't know how to hold an effective meeting.

But what about the rest of them? That is, what about all of the executives who know how to plan and organize and run an effective business, but still hold bad meetings?

Let's dig deeper. These executives actually want to hold bad meetings because they prove to be useful. Here's how.

1) They provide refuge.

Bad meetings provide a sophisticated form of executive busyness. Some people find this useful because it keeps them from having to work on difficult tasks such as planning, coaching, learning, and communicating. Compared to these difficult tasks, sitting in a conference room is easy. In fact, it is so easy that a six-year old could do it, assuming you could convince the child to stay inside for such a pointless activity.

Better: An effective meeting is business activity where people work together.

2) They avoid responsibility.

Bad meetings never end with decisions, which means that no one ends up being held responsible for doing anything. Some people find this useful because responsibility implies accountability and accountability requires results. Thus, without responsibility there is no failure and everyone appears to perform well. This masks poor performance so that everyone continues to receive raises and promotions, even when they accomplish nothing because (you guessed it) they spent all of their time sitting in meetings.

Better: Effective meetings produce decisions that someone is responsible for implementing.

3) They provide excitement.

Bad meetings feature all of the elements of a good drama, such as conflict, tension, and pain. For example, the participants deliver self-aggrandizing reports, denigrate their colleagues, and engage in politics. Some really terrible meetings play out like pathetic battlegrounds with verbal gladiators battling for favors while the boss watches.

Better: Effective meetings occur in a safe environment of respect.

4) They serve food.

Bad meetings become an enviable executive perk when they provide snacks, coffee, and (sometimes) meals. The attendees then use eating to offset the boredom of having to hear meaningless discussions. It also saves them the expense of having to buy food.

Better: Meals should be a separate activity used to build relationships and (sometimes) rest.

5) They entertain.

Bad meetings resemble a party. People tell stories, trade jokes, and argue over trivia. Some meetings feature comedy performances by the office fool. Others feature humorous belittlements by the office bully. And if neither of these occurs, the absolutely unbelievable discussions amaze and entertain everyone.

Better: Effective meetings use process tools to make methodical progress toward results.

All of this shows why the type of meetings held in a company should be of major concern when making investment decisions. If the executives need to learn how, that can be fixed by scheduling a workshop. Then you might consider investing in the company, after they complete the workshop. If, however, the executives hold bad meetings to avoid fundamental leadership responsibilities, you should seek other investments.

IAF Certified Professional Facilitator and author Steve Kaye works with leaders who want to hold effective meeting. His innovative workshops have informed and inspired people nationwide. His facilitation produces results that people will support. Call 714-528-1300 or visit his web site for over 100 pages of valuable ideas. Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.stevekaye.com

---

CEOs Role in Family Business

I first met Roland (not his real name) in 1972.... Read More

Time Management Tip: Stop Micro-Managing Employees

If I was a fly on the wall what would... Read More

Ten Top Ways for Managers to Motivate Their People

So to help start the ball rolling, here are ten... Read More

Managing Meetings

Plan/prepare - lack of purpose causes aimless meetings. Know why... Read More

13 Comments on Bad Meetings

Bad meetings are a cultural malady that senior executives pass... Read More

How To Delegate for Fun and Profit

Ah, the wretched pain of delegation. It comes easy to... Read More

Controlling Your Cash Flow

IntroductionAre you looking for a way to gain control of... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Best Incentives are Free

This article relates to the Recognition competency, commonly evaluated in... Read More

The Role of the Machine Metaphor in Mixed-initiative Organizational Leadership

"Can This Marriage be Saved?" So reads the title of... Read More

25 Great Ways to Find the Right People and Not Break the Bank

Are you trying to hire dozens of hourly workers or... Read More

Five Steps to Successful Business Succession

The great majority of family businesses in North America are... Read More

Efficiency Around The Office

Nearly every office, be it commercial or home-based, may have... Read More

Safety Policy Sample Outline

Writing a safety manual is a tough job and most... Read More

Status Quo Pep Talks That Can Threaten Your Leadership

Organizations live and die by results. Yet most organizations get... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management: The Value Of Due Diligence

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Managing the Human Resource Project

We obtain strategic results by aligning HR mission, vision and... Read More

3 Steps You Can Use Developing Leaders In Your Industry

With the economy bordering on a recession, every company is... Read More

Lead to Succeed: The Seven Essential Steps to Work Leader Success

In my book "You're In Charge?What Now?" I use a... Read More

Is A Bad Attitude Permanent

Today there is great weight put on a person's attitude.... Read More

Knowledge Management - Learning Whilst Doing - Facilitating an After Action Review

Introducing a learning culture into organisations can be difficult at... Read More

How Can A Communications Audit Help You?

Organizations communicate in two directions: internally to staff and externally... Read More

Poly Bags and Pallet Shrouds - Just Get it Right

For many companies, procuring the right packaging, such as Poly... Read More

Top Ten Things About Creating a Business Vision

To visualise where you are going, is deeper and more... Read More

Objects in the Mirror are Further Than They Appear

Definition From http://www.merriamwebster.com -- "Virtual: - being such in essence... Read More

Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to Manage Them!

Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure

Measure.The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving... Read More

Business & Family Safety and Health Rating

For good reason, practically every endeavor in life is rated.... Read More

Five Habits of Highly Effective Conflict Resolvers

Steven Covey had the right idea. There are discreet skills... Read More

Prepare A Winning CV

There is every chance that elements of this article may... Read More

Top 10 Things NOT To Tell Angel and VC Investors

I am not writing this to create a list of... Read More

2 Steps For Increasing Company Profits or Performing Business Turnarounds

1. Eliminate wasteEliminate reports, habits, products, duplicate input, and processes... Read More

The Challenges of Human Resource Management

IntroductionThe role of the Human Resource Manager is evolving with... Read More

Year 2010: Permanent Employees No Longer Required

Jack Welch joined a conference that was held in Duke... Read More