Logo en.artbmxmagazine.com

Work meetings. How to conceive them and make them profitable?

Table of contents:

Anonim

How to meet taking advantage of the time?

Introduction

The meeting is a space for preparation, discussion, timely analysis, decision-making, consultation and many other actions that provide solidity to the management work of the cadre. Ah, but which trend is objectionable: reunionism.

To address the theme of the meetings again and again, the key words will be noticed: managerial or leadership skills, meetings, meetings, participatory approach, group dynamics, teams, among others.

No matter where or who does the studies, the result is always the same: meetings occupy the maximum percentage of the time that managers dedicate to their work. Many accuse them of being a real waste of time, while others assure that the solution is not to eliminate them, but to make them fulfill their true function, as a source of collective intelligence. In this article we present an eminently participatory approach to how to plan and conduct meetings and provide numerous ideas to prevent them from being “too many, long and useless”. All this from a central idea, "if you can avoid celebrating it, don't celebrate it."

Of the meetings: many, long and useless.

These are the three fundamental adjectives that are applied most often to meetings. According to studies carried out among managers, meetings occupy respectively 28%, 30% and 26% of their total working time, which in all cases represents the activity with the greatest weight. More recent, unpublished studies show that the percentages are much higher. Studies done in other countries reveal that the meetings also rank first in terms of workload. The leaders surveyed, mentioned above, complain that:

-They must attend many meetings.

-Most meetings are excessively long.

-More people are cited than necessary.

-In many cases the desired results are not obtained.

-It is frequent that you have to meet again to discuss the same thing.

-Numerous meetings are simply informative, which can be replaced by written communication or by the presence of a lower-level employee.

If we take into account both the proportional weight of meetings in the workload of professionals and managers, as well as the fact that a significant number of them are considered unnecessary, long and useless, the most direct conclusion to draw is that in This activity is the most suitable potential to improve the personal work organization of a leader or professional.

The solution is not to run a campaign to reduce meetings, put them off work hours or put a maximum address on their staff. All these meetings act on the effect and not on the cause. So we have come to a conclusion. "The enemy is not the meeting, but the way of conceiving it or of doing it by order of it."

The studies mentioned simply confirmed what everyone knew or suspected, but it certainly needed to be argued in a technical way. "The meetings are many because they are used for what they are and for what they are not and they become long and useless because they are not handled with the required skill."

Of course, you do not learn spontaneously to lead meetings or at least you do not learn in a reasonably prudent time, and meanwhile the fate of many entities and people, starting with those present at the meeting, may be affected by what be said or done in them.

Of the meetings: few, short and efficient.

According to a classic of these themes, Michael Doyle "meetings are an intensive way of involving others in problem solving and decision making." It is not a universal definition because there are meetings whose objective is not that, but without a doubt it can be applied to most of them. The most important thing to appreciate in this definition is that in a few words it touches on the points that make meetings a technical job with its own complexities.

Involving others implies mastering the techniques related to group management, which have their own complexity and characteristics. The solution of problems and the taking of solutions require mastery of a certain logic of the thought process that, when approached collectively, becomes more effective but at the same time more complex… Therefore, the process of involving others in the problem requires mastery of certain techniques that you must learn.

If, in addition, all this must be achieved in an intensive way, we will have at least a notion that leading a meeting is not a matter of having good luck or being born with a certain inspiration, but a technique that needs to be learned and mastered.

The fact that meetings occupy the first place in the total workload of leaders and professionals worldwide does not mean that it is necessarily a consequence of organizational deficiencies or erroneous attitudes of the bosses, there may be other reasons.

Another explanation for the relevant role of meetings is that today's world demands a high level of cooperation and interaction, even for tasks that some would classify as “ordinary”, which implies that many meetings could be considered necessary and even convenient.

The trick would then be to convert that of "many, long and useless" into something like "few, short, and efficient". On the other hand, if you could at least make them efficient you wouldn't have to worry too much about the rest…

Hence the importance of distinguishing some meetings from others. One way to do this is to classify them according to some criteria. If you want to link the type of meeting with the method to be used, the most practical thing is to start from the objective you want to achieve with the meeting itself…

Types of meetings.

Meetings to report.

Objective: to find out about something to a group of people.

Applications: publicize a decision made, respond to concerns received from various sources whose response could be of common interest, give instructions for carrying out a task, combat a rumor, inform new procedures…

Flow and characteristics: unidirectional from the one who informs to those who are informed. It generally includes clarification of doubts and extensions at the request of the group. There is no debate.

Working conditions, techniques and methods to be used: very simple, since a group result is not sought. There are no limits to the number of people to gather. The physical distribution of the participants requires only that they be able to hear and see the informant. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the information is transmitted clearly and understood by the recipients. Audiovisual media can be used if there are conditions for it and if they know how to use them well.

In which cases to use them ?: Only when it is not possible to use another simpler method of transmitting information or when it is very important to ensure that the recipients understand. If a circular, letter, email, wall or dispatches achieve the same result, it is cheaper and consumes a lot in less time.

Observations: This is a simple meeting that many tend to complicate for pleasure by incorporating discussions or debates on issues already decided.

Meetings for information.

Objective: Obtain information or ideas from a group.

Applications: Very wide. Seeking criteria about a project or a decision not yet applied, capturing the mood or feelings of a group, obtaining a broad fund of ideas regarding an issue, finding factors to take into account for the solution of a problem.

Flow and characteristics: unidirectional, from the members of the group towards which he presides, encourages or facilitates the meeting. It includes one or more actions of the latter to stimulate the contribution of information and ideas. There is no debate.

Working conditions, techniques and methods to be used: it should not be more than 15 to 20 people. It is preferable that the meeting be conducted by someone who has mastered group work techniques, as this guarantees the greatest amount of information and ideas from the participants. Group interview techniques, group dynamics and creativity are applicable. It does not include evaluation or selection of solutions at the group level.

In which cases to use them ?: When obtaining the desired information cannot be achieved through simpler methods such as a survey or inquiry at the office level with the subordinate. It is very useful when there is certain that what a member of the group says can positively stimulate others to expand the information or generate a new idea. It is not useful when certain members of the group or the boss himself has such a high level of influence that they cancel the initiative of the rest.

Observations: this category includes meetings that can differ quite a lot in terms of certain nuances and even in terms of the techniques to be used.

This meeting can also be seen as a phase of a major one where a stop is made to enter a specialized and concentrated process of obtaining information.

Meetings for public debate.

Objective: to submit to discussion before a relatively large mass of people, one or more matters so that they can pronounce on them and adopt agreements.

Applications: All those cases where a parliamentary approach prevails, such as congresses, assemblies, plenary sessions, cloisters, etc.

Flow and characteristics: Multidirectional but with a high degree of formalism. It is carried out under the leadership of someone who holds the highest hierarchy of the group. The issues are discussed under a rigid and generally linear approach where individual oral interventions predominate over group work. Agreements are made by majority vote or by decision of the boss.

Working conditions, techniques and methods to be used: there are no limitations on the number of participants or special requirements regarding the layout of the premises. Very simple rules: the presiding officer grants the floor sequentially upon request, this sequence is only interrupted under exceptional conditions such as a "point of order" or a "clarification", dialogues are not allowed or at least they are quite restricted, it is admitted open or veiled criticism, the presentation of ideas is mixed with their evaluation, the presentation of proposals for agreements is encouraged, which are put to a vote or are decided by the president. Minutes are drawn up. Their methods have their antecedents in the parliamentary procedures of the last century, many of which are valid even for this type of meeting.

In what cases to use them? Only when the debate requires a naturally high number of participants as in congresses and assemblies, and where the work rules are rigid.

Meetings for staff development and preparation

Objective: for the group to perfect its knowledge and skills and develop new ways of thinking and working, using its own individual and collective capacity for analysis and synthesis.

Applications: manager and professional training.

Flow and characteristics: multidirectional under the guidance of someone who presents a thesis, a case, exhibits a film or simply coordinates. It seeks to improve common knowledge from the intensive and dynamic exchange of information until everyone identifies with new ideas, trends or techniques proposed or emerged as a product of the interaction. No agreements are made but consensus conclusions are reached.

Working conditions, techniques and methods to be used: group no larger than 15 people. The physical arrangement must facilitate the interaction between all and the proximity to any visual medium that is used. It makes extensive and flexible use of active teaching methods and group dynamics techniques that must be combined with suitable material conditions and systematic feedback. It requires a very well-trained facilitator and a recorder who writes down in full view of everyone the synthesis of what is said and concluded (group memory). Participants must be motivated for this type of meeting.

In what cases to use them? In general for adult training, as we like to feel school again. Very important for the development of analytical skills, creativity and the acquisition of knowledge and skills by leaders and professionals. It is a way of learning by doing. It is of particular importance in teaching management techniques. They should not be used when the boss, some of the members or the teacher have or practice such a high influence that it can interrupt the natural flow of ideas and criteria.

Meetings to solve a problem

Objectives: analyze a problem in a group until finding its solution together.

Applications: establishment of policies, implementation of decisions, increases in productivity, measures to be taken in case of emergencies, elevation of the quality of services, selection between options and in general all those matters that are complex, uncertain, possible consequences, opposition or limitations. they demand a thorough study in collective.

Flow and characteristics: Intensive multidirectional under the guidance of a facilitator with mastery of group work techniques. It requires a good identification of the problem and the effect that must be achieved in order to consider a certain solution as a good one, decompose the problem into all its elements and factors, find possible solutions, evaluate them and choose the most appropriate one. All these steps must correspond to intensive group work where consensus is the criterion to move from one to another.

Working conditions, techniques and methods to be used: Demand high level in its preparation and execution. The number of participants should not exceed 15 or 20. Place them so that everyone can see each other and can also read without difficulty the group memory area where what is being said or concluded on large sheets of paper is noted. The use of group dynamics techniques is essential, particularly those that stimulate creativity and those that facilitate consensus, the use of a problem-solving methodology and whatever instrument ensures the best use of group intelligence and allows reaching a solution that has the highest possible quality and has the acceptance and agreement of all participants.

In what cases to use them? In problems where the group has the conditions and the motivation to work together to solve it. In such a case it is a well justified meeting.

Download the original file

Work meetings. How to conceive them and make them profitable?