Don’t Kill Meetings

By Ron EdmondsonMarch 26, 2012Leadership

21 Comments

I hear people who want to do away with meetings…

There are even books talking about the death of meetings…

I know people who say meetings waste their time…

I’ve been at meetings that waste my time…

I say, however…

DON’T KILL MEETINGS!

Make meetings better!

You may have to make the meetings more entertaining.

Meetings may need to be more purposeful.

Perhaps meetings need to complete better agendas.

But don’t kill meetings…

Until you first try to make them better.

You may now need to read 7 Ways to Prepare for More Effective Meetings

Be honest:

Do you hate meetings?

Do you look forward to meetings?

Author Ron Edmondson

More posts by Ron Edmondson

Comments (22)

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steelbr 21p · 677 weeks ago

I think a well run meeting is crucial. I've had to run some, though, and that's easier said than done. Last week Jon Acuff wrote a post suggesting that some meetings be conducted without chairs to keep people from getting too comfortable so they'd get to the point. Sounds interesting.

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

I agree Ben. I've heard so many people lately talk about meetings wasting their time. I know many do and probably many that I've led, but I don't think we should throw them out but make then better.

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blacknewfie 17p · 677 weeks ago

Ron,

After reading your post I thought of a post by a friend of my Jonathan Smith. He has some great ideas about making meetings worth the effort.
http://jonathandavidsmith.typepad.com/jonathan-sm...

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

Thanks for sharing this post

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pk2vzjax 22p · 677 weeks ago

Great thoughts - most meetings could use better planning up front, an agenda, and more listening. I recently wrote a post on how I totally redesigned my one-on-one meetings with my team - http://www.michaelnichols.org/one-on-one-meeting.

Thanks for the reminders!

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

Thanks for sharing. We need these type thoughts.

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Kari Scare 105p · 677 weeks ago

Meetings frustrate me most of the time because people focus too much on their own needs. But I agree that meetings need improved not eliminated. They are important because they provide much-needed, face-to-face communication that is lacking in our social media age. This type of communication can be much more effective in accomplishing tasks and in eliminating misunderstanding. They can also be a great way to get things done.

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

I agree Kari. Focus on bigger objectives that appeal to everyone.

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David · 677 weeks ago

I think the frustration many times is that we go to a meeting and leave there having accomplished nothing. Unless the meeting is about last nights ball game it is not the time to discuss last nights ball game. We need to focus on the task at hand and accomplish what we are there for. A meeting isn't alway necessary. Sometimes we just need to communicate which can be done without a meeting through email, phone, etc. One of my biggest frustrations was not following through with what we discussed at the meeting. There needs to be some communication in between the "now and then" though a call, email, text whatever.

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

Agree David. That's probably part of the "making meetings better". Don't have one if there's not a need. Thanks!

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Ami Dean · 677 weeks ago

Being in the "who says meetings have to be boring?" business, I spend my life helping corporations, businesses & teams lead and develope more effective meetings. Our creative meeting space is ideal for infusing a meeting with fun & creativity while substantially increasing productivity, idea generation and engagement! Don't stop meeting, just meet differently!

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

That's awesome. We all need your work!

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Christopher Johnston · 677 weeks ago

I've never been to a good work meeting (and that isn't hyperbole).

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

Interesting. Never?

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Bryankr · 677 weeks ago

I have an idea that many times, prople are on a committee out of guilt, some that are there don't feel qualified, some are just plain burned out. No matter how you look at it, meetings are going to run longer and without focus. It might behoove us to try to fill these meetings, these committees, with people that actually want to be there! It just might make a world of difference.

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

That's an interesting thought. Thanks!

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Kmac4him · 677 weeks ago

I don't like meetings when I am being "managed"! Being managed makes me feel like a "volunteer"! I like meetings where I am being mentored by servant leadership. When I am mentored, I become a servant-leader who stands the tests of time, who serves God 1st and who grows through every challenge with God Purpose. Anyone can have meetings and manage people. You have to dig deeper to have meetings that mentor leadership, creating an atmosphere where the love of God compels, the heart of God fuels the passion and your leadership walks away mentored by God, not managed by human condition. The difference between a meeting that manages people and a meeting that mentors servant leaders to me is the leader walks away and models the vision of the meeting from the inside out. When I walk out of meeting where I have been mentored, my leadership is fired up usually by a challenge that is way bigger than me, yet I have been inspired by the vision of the meeting and I know that God's Purposes are far greater than the challenge at hand. A meeting where I am mentored and not managed, my focus in not aligned with "doing" but with "being"! A person who is managed is wearing ministry, from the outside to the inside, in a feeding my "feel good" kind of way and the duty of that will wear down the "human condition" of will-managed excitement, and you get a topsy-turvy volunteer. If you are mentoring your leadership in every meeting, you are creating a servant-warrior leader who stands in Holy Alignment with God 1st, and presses through all things, serving in stability with excellence! I don't want to be managed; I want to be mentored, because being mentored adds value to my life, being managed makes me feel inadequate and causes me to try too hard, fleshing outward instead of depending inward on the Holy Spirit in me. Just some thoughts! Thanks for the inspiration! Have a great week!

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

Great thoughts. Very helpful

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atoy1208 13p · 677 weeks ago

I dread meetings of any kind. Mostly because I know the leader is not putting any heart into it. It's just a motion or an obligation. It's so sad because so many have potential to be motivational. At least Michael Scott puts thought and heart into his meetings...

1 reply · active 677 weeks ago

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

Ha! That's true!

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Uma Maheswaran S 80p · 677 weeks ago

Ron! To be frank, I have experienced meetings as a great productivity killer. I have also seen people conducting meeting for the sake of meeting. Hence, I am not in favor of conducting meetings. To the extent possible, I wish the meeting to be short and precise.

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ronedmondson 127p · 677 weeks ago

I'm for shorter meetings too.

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Join the discussion 21 Comments

ronedmondson says:

March 27, 2012 at 9:14 am

I'm for shorter meetings too.
Uma Maheswaran S says:

March 27, 2012 at 9:01 am

Ron! To be frank, I have experienced meetings as a great productivity killer. I have also seen people conducting meeting for the sake of meeting. Hence, I am not in favor of conducting meetings. To the extent possible, I wish the meeting to be short and precise.
atoy1208 says:

March 27, 2012 at 2:16 am

I dread meetings of any kind. Mostly because I know the leader is not putting any heart into it. It's just a motion or an obligation. It's so sad because so many have potential to be motivational. At least Michael Scott puts thought and heart into his meetings…
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 27, 2012 at 6:23 am
  
  Ha! That's true!
ronedmondson says:

March 26, 2012 at 3:54 pm

Great thoughts. Very helpful
Bryankr
Twitter: bryankr
says:

March 26, 2012 at 1:44 pm

I have an idea that many times, prople are on a committee out of guilt, some that are there don’t feel qualified, some are just plain burned out. No matter how you look at it, meetings are going to run longer and without focus. It might behoove us to try to fill these meetings, these committees, with people that actually want to be there! It just might make a world of difference.
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 3:03 pm
  
  That's an interesting thought. Thanks!
Christopher Johnston
Twitter: chrisjohnston
says:

March 26, 2012 at 11:03 am

I’ve never been to a good work meeting (and that isn’t hyperbole).
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 11:09 am
  
  Interesting. Never?
Ami Dean
Twitter: Amidean
says:

March 26, 2012 at 9:53 am

Being in the “who says meetings have to be boring?” business, I spend my life helping corporations, businesses & teams lead and develope more effective meetings. Our creative meeting space is ideal for infusing a meeting with fun & creativity while substantially increasing productivity, idea generation and engagement! Don’t stop meeting, just meet differently!
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 9:58 am
  
  That's awesome. We all need your work!
David says:

March 26, 2012 at 8:30 am

I think the frustration many times is that we go to a meeting and leave there having accomplished nothing. Unless the meeting is about last nights ball game it is not the time to discuss last nights ball game. We need to focus on the task at hand and accomplish what we are there for. A meeting isn't alway necessary. Sometimes we just need to communicate which can be done without a meeting through email, phone, etc. One of my biggest frustrations was not following through with what we discussed at the meeting. There needs to be some communication in between the "now and then" though a call, email, text whatever.
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 8:34 am
  
  Agree David. That's probably part of the “making meetings better”. Don't have one if there's not a need. Thanks!
Kari Scare
Twitter: KariScare
says:

March 26, 2012 at 7:29 am

Meetings frustrate me most of the time because people focus too much on their own needs. But I agree that meetings need improved not eliminated. They are important because they provide much-needed, face-to-face communication that is lacking in our social media age. This type of communication can be much more effective in accomplishing tasks and in eliminating misunderstanding. They can also be a great way to get things done.
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 7:34 am
  
  I agree Kari. Focus on bigger objectives that appeal to everyone.
Michael Nichols
Twitter: Michaelenichols
says:

March 26, 2012 at 7:13 am

Great thoughts – most meetings could use better planning up front, an agenda, and more listening. I recently wrote a post on how I totally redesigned my one-on-one meetings with my team – http://www.michaelnichols.org/one-on-one-meeting.

Thanks for the reminders!
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 7:17 am
  
  Thanks for sharing. We need these type thoughts.
Peter Walters says:

March 26, 2012 at 6:44 am

Ron,

After reading your post I thought of a post by a friend of my Jonathan Smith. He has some great ideas about making meetings worth the effort.
http://jonathandavidsmith.typepad.com/jonathan-sm…
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 7:08 am
  
  Thanks for sharing this post
Ben Steele says:

March 26, 2012 at 6:38 am

I think a well run meeting is crucial. I've had to run some, though, and that's easier said than done. Last week Jon Acuff wrote a post suggesting that some meetings be conducted without chairs to keep people from getting too comfortable so they'd get to the point. Sounds interesting.
- ronedmondson says:
  
  March 26, 2012 at 7:09 am
  
  I agree Ben. I've heard so many people lately talk about meetings wasting their time. I know many do and probably many that I've led, but I don't think we should throw them out but make then better.