One of the most often cited downstream impacts of more employees working hybrid and offsite is the increase in the time spent in meetings. Recent studies have shown that we’re spending more and more time either in a conference room or in front of our cameras. With all of this time we’re spending in meetings, when are we going to get our real work done?
There’s a bit of confusion swirling around the world of work about meetings. If we want to be official about it, the Cambridge dictionary defines a meeting as “a planned occasion when people come together, either in person or online (= using the internet), to discuss something.” According to that definition, one-on-one check-ins with our managers are meetings. Problem solving sessions are meetings. Teambuilding sessions are meetings. Organization-wide information sharing occasions are meetings. Yes, we do spend a lot of time in meetings. Perhaps the solve is not to worry about how much time we have blocked on our calendars but to create greater clarity on the intent of the time we spend with others to make it more productive. Here are some of the most common types of time spent with others and how to maximize it:
Working sessions: This is time spent doing the work of the work. If you know the answer or already have a plan, it’s not a working session. PRO TIPS: Invite the people who are going to really engage. These sessions can be longer than an hour; they are about digging in and meaty discussion. If there are others who need to be in the know but don’t really want to do the work of the work, schedule a short update call to bring everyone up to speed.
Discussions: Discussion time is when a solution or plan has been developed and you need others to weigh in or buy in. You are giving other stakeholders a chance to add their expertise and experience to the plan, share points you and your working session partners may not have thought of, and agree on next steps. PRO TIPS: Send out key information a few days before and the day before the discussion. It’s easy to miss an email or message and reminding the attendees the day before will give you just a bit of insurance that folks will come prepared. Discussions can usually be 30 – 45 minutes long. During the discussion it can be hard to hear concerns about something that you believe in, so stay open to new ideas and concerns. Be super curious before being super defensive. You might want to keep “tell me more” and “what would you suggest?” in your back pocket as phrases to use if you’re feeling like others aren’t as committed as you.
Decision time: Depending on the topic, this should be the time when the key stakeholders (be judicious on who should get to decide) give approval for work to be done. Like discussions, a brief summary of the key points and how they were determined should be shared a few days before and reminded the day before the call. PRO TIP: Provide a very brief synopsis at the beginning of the call. Ask for any additional needed clarification and then a thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs sideways. If the thumbs sideways can’t be resolved in a very short period of time, then regroup and resolve later. Decision time should be short, 15 minutes.
Information sharing: Yes, it’s OK to gather people for information sharing. PRO TIP: Be clear about what the topic(s) is in the invitation. Try to keep it to 30 minutes, or better yet 25.
Community building: Whether in person or virtual, sometimes it’s just good to get together with others with no specific agenda. PRO TIP: Be clear in the invitation that this is a time to build community with co-workers and it’s optional to attend. This type of get together tends to work well when 30 – 45 minutes long.
Get to know you’s: Did you happen to bump into someone in the organization that you don’t work directly with and found their work interesting? Or someone new has joined the company that has a background similar to yours? A brief 30 minute “Get To Know You” (GTKY) is a great way to expand your network and learn about others.
Check-Ins: The most powerful way to spend time with others at work is your one-on-one check-in with your manager. Data shows that employees who check-in with their manager at least once a week are 2 -3 times more likely to be all-in at work. PRO TIP: Don’t wait for your manager to schedule the time. There’s no rule that says you can’t initiate a check-in. Prep them with your near-term priorities and any support you might need before the check-in. And don’t feel the need to reserve an hour. Ten to fifteen minutes might be just the right length, especially if you share what you’re working on and what you need before the meeting time.
The myth of the meeting is that time spent with others could be better spent doing work. But time with others is work. And like other aspects of work, there are approaches that make that time more effective and more efficient. Be clear with the intent of the time and call the time what it is: a working session, discussion, information sharing, decision time, get to know you or a one-on-one check-in. Remind attendees the day before of what you expect of them and of any critical information they need. Yes, let’s cancel unproductive meetings, but let’s not stop doing the work with others.
