From the course: Leading without Formal Authority

Add value in meetings

From the course: Leading without Formal Authority

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Add value in meetings

- Have you ever left a meeting wondering if anything was even accomplished or if that meeting should've just been an email? You're not alone. A recent report from Inc.com revealed that people will attend an average of 62 meetings a month and 71% of people admit to doing other work during a meeting. Let me share some ideas for how you, as an informal leader, can create the opportunity to reframe meetings from blah to strategic, even if you're not the one running them. First, let's look at the planning. If it is your meeting, send out an agenda and explain what you want to accomplish as a result of the meeting. In many organizations, this alone will differentiate you. And include an accurate time frame. Just because the calendar suggests 30 minute blocks doesn't mean a 10 minute meeting can't be effective. Quick, stand up huddles are one of the best ways to get things done. Next, what can you do when you're an attendee during a meeting? Getting on the agenda is a great way to increase your informal authority. Don't ask for time on the agenda just for the sake of talking. Instead, think about how you can add real value to the attendees. Keep it short and discuss the elements that are relevant to overall strategy. And no matter what your role, meetings always benefit from someone asking the right questions. Who will be responsible for this? What effect will this have on our customers? What's a reasonable timeline? It's not your job to grill everyone or raise any potential pitfalls, but simply to make sure the meeting is comprehensive and actionable. Ask in a collaborative tone and then listen. And the more you listen, the better questions you will be able to ask. Think quality, not quantity here. Finally, you can lead by summarizing the meeting and making sure there are action steps moving forward. Early in my career, when I was trying to up my leadership game, I would always jump in quickly to speak up at meetings. Over time, I learned there is great value to speaking last. After a long meeting, it can be challenging to wrap up, so here's what you can do. Offer a few themes from the meeting and report your own, or your team's, action items. That makes it a strategic meeting instead of just a tactical meeting. The person who is good at summarizing in a strategic way is automatically perceived as a leader. Remember to end the meeting positively. Thank the person who organized the meeting, if it wasn't you. Not all meetings need to be a snooze fest and as an informal leader, you have the opportunity to set the tone. If you're prepared, focused, and action-oriented, meetings can be hugely productive.

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