Clarity of Purpose – One Meeting At a Time

A client recently asked me to lead a brown bag staff discussion on increasing the effectiveness of meetings.  It triggered a memory …

A few months ago, I ran into a colleague from the days when our company served as Superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools.   After our delighted embrace, this woman said, “Do you know what I’ll always remember about you?”  Of course with all modesty, I thought of such things as my great wit, my high intellect, my strategic skills…  What she recalled, however, was this – “I’ll always remember how you asked at the start of each meeting, “What’s the purpose of this meeting?”

Meeting “Purpose” - Three Basic Types

I think there are really only three kinds of meetings.  Each is important.  And, it’s important to know which type of meeting you are preparing for or participating in.  Success is different for each, as are the processes used.  One University of Minnesota leader always insists on specifying in each section of a meeting agenda whether a decision will be required or not during that time.  That alone is a good habit to form.

Using this basic framework, my client group generated ideas on index cards for their own organization’s improvement.  These index cards were shuffled and re-dealt out to small groups.  

Across all the ideas discussed by the small groups, five were chosen for special focus during 2007:

• Frame meeting agendas so both purpose and time available are clear. End times are as important as start times
• Offer quiet time when asking people to brainstorm new ideas
• Whenever practical, schedule discussion time separately from the meeting where the decision must be made
• Wherever you are in the conversation, use the last 10 minutes of every meeting to identify what needs to happen next, and
• Use meeting notes primarily to move the agenda forward (e.g. don’t rehash; do show next steps).

Meeting “Purpose” – Toward a Common Aim

My second reason was to remind myself of the overall strategy.  As you recall, the core strategy is at its most fundamental about creating clarity of purpose.   Each meeting is an opportunity to do just that! 

Again, a memory - When PSG was first hired as superintendent, we held a retreat for key stakeholders and asked them to list the purposes for which the Minneapolis schools existed.  Over 50 answers were given, from improving test scores to developing good citizens to feeding poor kids.  We insisted on narrowing it down to fewer than five.  Two were ultimately chosen: Improving student achievement and narrowing the gap between white and minority students. 

From that point on, we encouraged every meeting to be centered by asking:  “How will this discussion/ this decision affect student achievement?”  Gradually, the message sank in.  Soon most meetings included consideration of the district’s central purpose.

Simple.  Basic.  And, Important.

If the estimate is true that we spend 50% of our time in some form of meeting, let’s make 2007 the year we rate the meetings in our life as full of purpose.

Here’s a quick checklist you can use with participants of meetings you lead to assess your progress.  Happy New Year!