Flibbertigibbet

How Not To Manage Meetings

Director Dan bragged in his 2.5 hour, unscheduled meeting that he didn't have an agenda. His thought is that he likes to just start a discussion and let it lead to "interesting ideas."

If he thinks his meetings lead to "interesting ideas," I think that I do not use those words to mean the same thing. When he says it he means what I would call, "unproductive, undirected caterwauling, territorialism, office political maneuvering and general time-wasting."

One of the many heuristics I use in my daily life is this: "If you don't know where you're going, you're never going to get there."

Without an agenda, meetings are pretty much pointless. They are GUARANTEED to waste time and accomplish little of what the organizer wants to accomplish. Director Dan is no exception to this, but the difference is that he doesn't seem to want to accomplish any thing in particular.

This is very frustrating for a person like me. I would rather come to work to work or just go home and do as I please.

Update: I just did a quick Google on meetings and found a link to ten tips to holding effective meetings:

1. Avoid meetings
2. Prepare goals
3. Challenge each goal
4. Prepare an agenda
5. Inform others
6. Assume control
7. Focus on the issue
8. Be selective
9. Budget time
10. Use structured activities

Under #4 it says, "Everyone knows an agenda leads to an effective meeting. Yet, many people "save time" by neglecting to prepare an agenda.

"A meeting without an agenda is like a journey without a map. It is guaranteed to take longer and produce fewer results."

Meetings at my office tend to violate almost every single rule on that list. They are numerous, unfocused, and unproductive. A few people know how to hold a good meeting, but only one or two of those people ever wind up calling a meeting.

While getting my MBA, I had a whole class on holding effective meetings and agendas were on that list, too. Director Dan has an MBA, why doesn't he know?

It makes me crazy.