We’ve all been there … the afternoon meeting that drags on and on. All the while, every attendee is sneaking glances at the clock and struggling to stay awake. While not all meetings are a snooze fest, you want to make the ones that are important really count. So, what can you do about it? This month, John Cosgrove, founder of VoiceHive, offers expert perspective on why so many meetings fail and how to make them more engaging and productive.
Q. Tell me about your company and what you do there?
A. I’m the founder of VoiceHive where we provide interactive web applications and software for events. We’ve been around for five years now.
Q. It’s a running joke that company meetings are a notorious waste of time. Do you find that’s true? If so, why?
A. Yes, they are. At our company, we don’t have meetings--we have discussions when things come up. Our business depends less on meetings and more on the value of networking. With traditional meetings people are taking time out their day to attend. There’s little value in those types of meetings when things could be handled with an email or a phone call.
Q. What can a business or company do to be more engaging and create more meaningful meetings?
A. Part of the problem is a dynamic in meetings that creates dysfunction — whether that’s hierarchy or politics — in which attendees are reluctant to put up their hand and call out certain points. If the goal is to be more productive, businesses must show they value everyone’s opinion. They need to encourage attendees to come forward with their thoughts. And they need to communicate this openness before a meeting, so attendees feel more comfortable bringing thoughts and suggestions into the conference room. Too much time spent on posturing is a waste of time.
Q. How can they avoid this?
A. Start by avoiding calling a meeting for the sake of a having a meeting. There must be a good, solid reason for the meeting along with a plan for direction or a goal. Establishing that up front and keeping everyone on task and focused on the goal will deliver more value.
I’ve always found the real value is in the conversations that take place after the meeting--the powwows between groups afterwards and at the watercolor. If companies can harness that level of comfort and integrate it into their meetings, they’d be much more productive. But, that takes courage. That’s a culture in business that’s hard to shift.
Q. Does location have an impact on how boring or engaging a meeting might be?
A. Definitely. Both the setting and the time of day have impact. I’ve found many productive meetings take place away from the office, in more informal settings, where people are more relaxed. Personally, I’ve found I’ve done some of my best business at social occasions and house parties, rather than at professional gatherings.
Q. Any other suggestions?
A. In our world, where we deal with a lot of non-profits and associations, people are a little more fearful about speaking up. We’ve found when we create anonymous methods of communication, it allows for more candid engagement. For example, at one meeting I attended, the facilitator perceived he wasn’t receiving honest feedback, so he asked the attendees to send candid responses anonymously via text, and it proved effective. Good leaders will recognize the value in more casual and comfortable engagement.
