It Could Have Been an Email

It Could Have Been an Email

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Meetings are easy to schedule and often come with a sense of importance. Discussing issues in a group can give the impression of consensual leadership. Yet, we all know it’s more difficult. Here are some guidelines for your meetings:

  • Insist on doing everything through “channels.” Never permit short-cuts to expedite decisions.
  • Make “speeches.” Talk as frequently as possible and at great length. Illustrate your points with long anecdotes and accounts of personal experiences. Don’t hesitate to make a few “patriotic” comments.
  • Refer all matters to committees for “further study and consideration.” Make the committees as large as possible—never less than five.
  • Bring up irrelevant issues as frequently as possible.
  • Haggle over precise wordings of communications, minutes, and resolutions.
  • Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt to reopen the question of the advisability of that decision.
  • Advocate “caution.” Urge your colleagues to be “reasonable” and avoid haste, which might result in embarrassments or difficulties later on.
  • Worry about the propriety of any decision—raise the question of whether the action lies within the group’s jurisdiction or conflicts with the policy of a higher echelon.

If these points sound familiar, it’s because they’re from the “Simple Sabotage Field Manual,” published by the Office of Strategic Services, a CIA predecessor. It provided instructions for how everyday people could help the Allies during WWII by weakening their country’s operations.

Now that you’re aware of these sabotage tactics, it’s time to focus on efficient and useful meeting rules. Here are some ideas I apply as much as possible:

  • Set a clear agenda and share it in advance. Even if the meeting is ad-hoc, take the time to list the items to be discussed. You’re asking for your colleagues’ time, so be responsible and prepare properly.
  • Stick to the agenda. Don’t go off track. While you might have related topics in mind, your participants are likely unprepared for them.
  • Mark each agenda item as for information or decision. This helps participants focus.
  • Be mindful of time management. This includes starting and ending on time and considering the overall schedule. As a manager, you might operate in 30-minute slots, but colleagues in creative or operational areas might have longer intervals. Your schedule can disrupt their focus time.
  • For regular team meetings, have a fixed agenda. Ensure everyone can contribute, report activities, define targets, address problems, and celebrate successes.
  • Prepare and share meeting minutes. You can use AI for a summary, but don’t rely solely on it. Ensure minutes track exact decisions for future reference and action item tracking.
  • Remember, a good meeting requires preparation and follow-up. The person convening the meeting is accountable for its efficiency and proper follow-up.

By following these rules, you can transform your meetings from potential sabotage events into productive, time-efficient sessions that everyone appreciates.

On the other hand, we should still assess whether every meeting is really necessary! Sometimes a well structured and thoughtful email would have done it as well. The colleagues who complain about reading long emails are frequently those who also show up unprepared in meetings!

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