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Everyone
has their own creative process. But, most of us also work with others
in the pursuit of larger ideas that require coordination. To
collaborate, we have many tools - like email, online messaging, and
many more - but, sometimes we just need to meet.While
meetings are important, most people (especially those in larger
companies) will agree that meetings consume too much of our lives. As
we’ve discussed before, when you measure the outcome of a meeting with action steps, you realize that many meetings yield… nothing.
But alas, meetings are still necessary. People need to connect and discuss certain issues. One best practice we have observed in the field is calling “standing meetings” -- meetings in which people gather and remain standing. The tendency to sit back and reiterate points - commentate rather than content-make-dwindles as people get weak in the knees. Standing meetings become more actionable. Courtney Holt, the former head of Digital Media at MTV and now the Head of MySpace Music, insists on the value of standing meetings in his team, "I try to make every meeting - especially those that are called last minute - a standing meeting...ideally each meeting finishes as quickly as it can."
Most impromptu meetings that are called to quickly catch up on a project or discuss a problem can happen in 10 minutes or less. However, when they are scheduled in formal calendar programs, they tend to be set in 30 or 60 minute increments. Why? Just because it is the default calendar setting. Ideally, meetings should just have a start time and end as quickly as they can.
The pundits will cry, “how about meetings that are called to generate buy-in and build culture.” Well, these meetings are important, but their purpose should be transparent. Most often, leaders call meetings out of their own insecurity. If you don’t know what is going on with your team, the easiest and most comforting solution is to call a meeting.
Next time you make the expensive decision to call a meeting, be clear with the purpose and consider making it a standing meeting.
--
This tip was written by Scott Belsky of the Behance team. Explore more tips, and check out Behance's guest postings for small businesses trying to make ideas happen, hosted at American Express' OpenForum.
But alas, meetings are still necessary. People need to connect and discuss certain issues. One best practice we have observed in the field is calling “standing meetings” -- meetings in which people gather and remain standing. The tendency to sit back and reiterate points - commentate rather than content-make-dwindles as people get weak in the knees. Standing meetings become more actionable. Courtney Holt, the former head of Digital Media at MTV and now the Head of MySpace Music, insists on the value of standing meetings in his team, "I try to make every meeting - especially those that are called last minute - a standing meeting...ideally each meeting finishes as quickly as it can."
Most impromptu meetings that are called to quickly catch up on a project or discuss a problem can happen in 10 minutes or less. However, when they are scheduled in formal calendar programs, they tend to be set in 30 or 60 minute increments. Why? Just because it is the default calendar setting. Ideally, meetings should just have a start time and end as quickly as they can.
The pundits will cry, “how about meetings that are called to generate buy-in and build culture.” Well, these meetings are important, but their purpose should be transparent. Most often, leaders call meetings out of their own insecurity. If you don’t know what is going on with your team, the easiest and most comforting solution is to call a meeting.
Next time you make the expensive decision to call a meeting, be clear with the purpose and consider making it a standing meeting.
--
This tip was written by Scott Belsky of the Behance team. Explore more tips, and check out Behance's guest postings for small businesses trying to make ideas happen, hosted at American Express' OpenForum.
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