How to have Better Meetings

Sydney, Australia

“Well begun is half done." - Aristotle

Most leaders spend a large part of their week in meetings. Over 50% if you're an executive. Curiously, few are ever taught how to run one well.

Before sending the next calendar invite, try the 5 Ps: Purpose, Participants, Process, Preparation, and Progress.

It is a simple discipline, used inside large organizations such as BHP, that can save hours and improve the quality of decisions.

1. Purpose
Why are we meeting? Be clear from the start. Is the meeting for a decision, a discussion, a brainstorm, or a critical update? If the purpose is not strong enough to pull people away from their real work, the meeting may not need to happen.

2. Participants
Who needs to be in the room? Invite the people required to make the decision, shape the discussion, or execute the work. A smaller room usually creates a sharper conversation.

3. Process
How will the meeting run? Set the agenda. Decide the format. Clarify the ground rules. Good meetings have a rhythm. Poor meetings go on a tangent.

4. Preparation
What needs to happen before the meeting? Send the agenda. Share the data. Ask people to read, think, and arrive ready. A meeting should not be the place where people first encounter the issue.

5. Progress
What changed because we met? End with decisions, actions, owners, and dates. People should leave knowing what was agreed, what happens next, and who is responsible.

Meetings are one of the clearest expressions of leadership.