Despite their bad reputation, meetings can still be an effective tool for producing great work. Here's how.

1. How to Master the Art
of a Great Meeting

2. Presented by

3. Click the “tweet” button above to
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4. Meetings are a huge part of modern work culture.
The average American employee spends 37% of
their time at work in meetings, while the average
manager attends about 60 meetings per month.
And yet, many people consider meetings a waste
of time, and over a third of employees admit they
doze off during them. The negative connotation of
“sitting through another meeting” is proof enough–
we see meetings as a chore, not as an opportunity
to create great work.
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5. Despite their bad reputation, meetings can inspire and
encourage great work. When done right, meetings allow
us to share ideas, think creatively, brainstorm solutions,
and boost collaboration.
That’s why failing to harness the potential power of a
well-conducted meeting is a huge loss to teams and
companies alike.
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6. But good meetings don’t just make good business sense. In fact, 92% of
surveyed employees believe that “successful meetings may be a contributing
factor for employee job satisfaction”–and they’re right. Consistently great
meetings can boost employee engagement and satisfaction as well.
Turn the trend of unproductive, boring meetings around. Ask these 7
questions during your next meeting to revamp its direction and
inspire attendees to produce great work.
92%
SEVEN
QUESTIONS
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7. Just so we’re clear, how does this support our purpose?
This question shows how your meeting fits into the
bigger picture. Asking this question during the meeting
clearly defines the purpose, makes it better structured,
and explains its relevance in the grand scheme of your
work. As author David Lapin explains, a clearly defined
direction helps decision-making go smoothly and adds
purpose to your actions.
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8. Are we asking the right questions?
Authors David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom give the
example of Marty Cooper, the inventor of the cellular
phone, as someone who asked a question that changed
the course of an idea. When asked to invent a car phone,
Cooper wondered, “Why are we calling places (homes,
office, and cars) instead of calling people?” That one
question changed his perspective on the problem at
hand, and the idea of the cellphone was born.
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9. Whom else have we talked to about this?
It’s very likely that the people in your meeting are people
you interact with on a daily basis. Try bringing in a fresh
set of eyes to tackle your latest problem. When you get a
new perspective on the issue, you’ll understand why 72%
of award-winning work involves people asking their
outer circle for new viewpoints and opinions. Bringing
diversity to your brainstorming can open you up to a
whole new world of possibilities.
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10. Do we know how this will be received by the end-user?
As Sturt and Nordstrom say, “The point behind any
meeting is to discuss what has changed, what needs to
change, and what will change.” But then, you have to
consider how the proposed changes will affect people
down the line. It’s important to take the effects of your
plans into account so you can anticipate possible
problems down the road.
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11. I’m curious, could we get your opinion?
Ask this question of someone who has not participated
much in the discussion yet. Not only will they feel
included and know their opinion is valued, but you will
get a new perspective on your thoughts and form a more
well-rounded understanding of the topic at hand.
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12. Is there something we could add or subtract that
people would love?
It’s a fact: an idea that has been fine-tuned is 3x more
likely to be considered important. So don’t think of
pre-existing conditions, practices, or ideas as set in stone.
Being open to adjusting your idea lets you continue
improving upon it until it’s just right.
Bringing this question to the table will help your meeting produce
outstanding work.
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13. Are these ideas sustainable, scalable,
and can we stick to our plan?
Asking this question really gets at whether you can implement your
solution. It’s not enough to just brainstorm a great idea–you’ve got
to stick with it and put it into action in order to make a difference.
Ask this question in your meetings to hear feedback on the benefits
and shortcomings of an idea. When you take opinions into account
and follow through with implementing a solution, you can take your
idea from good to great.
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14. Meetings are what you make of them. With
these 7 questions, you can lead meetings that
inspire, engage, and deliver the difference
you need. Unleash the power of a fantastic
meeting, and see how a “thought-challenging
question” can ignite and fuel a meeting that
produces great work.
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16. O.C. TANNER AND THE O.C. TANNER INSTITUTE
O.C. Tanner, number 40 on the 2015 FORTUNE 100 Best Companies
to Work For® list, helps organizations create great work environments
by inspiring and appreciating great work. Thousands of clients
globally use the company’s cloud-based technology, tools, awards,
and education services to engage talent, increase performance,
drive goals, and create experiences that fuel the human spirit. Learn
more at octanner.com.
The O.C. Tanner Institute regularly commissions research and
provides a global forum for exchanging ideas about recognition,
engagement, leadership, culture, human values, and sound business
principles.