When it�s time for a meeting, most companies have them: co-workers
that hijack discussions, wander off topic, send texts, disrupt
decision-making or behave in other dysfunctional ways.
The five most common disrupters come under these categories:
The Dominator
Crime: greatly overestimates value of his/her personal views
Modus operandi: disrupts discussion and induces information overkill
Level: first degree nuisance
The Quiet Plotter
Crime: practices passive-aggressive insubordination
Modus operandi: remains quiet at meetings, later undermines bosses
and decisions
Level: first degree nuisance
The Naysayer
Crime: premeditated negativity
Modus operandi: waits until consensus is almost reached and retails
meeting with major objections
Level: first degree nuisance
The Rambler
Crime: inflicts death by boredom
Modus operandi: takes discussions to far-away places so people
forget why they�re there
Level: second degree nuisance
The Jokester
Crime: assault with a deadly punchline
Modus operandi: cracks jokes (appropriate or not) and awaits
response from others
Lever: misdemeanor nuisance
Meetings are supposed to be a time of creative problem-solving,
where the best ideas emerge. Yet even some of the best managers have
a difficult time running them.
The following advice from executives, meeting planners and trainers,
for accomplishing productive meetings that�ll get more done include:
-
Limit the number of meetings scheduled.
-
Set a clear agenda.
-
Impose
a �no device� rule or schedule periodic tech breaks for e-mail,
texts and phone calls.
-
Redirect people back to the agenda when they ramble or digress.
-
Draw out quiet people by asking them in advance for a specific
contribution.
-
Do a �round robin� when appropriate, to allow everyone to
contribute.
-
Ask early for objections to keep them from derailing discussions
later.
-
Limit
the length of slide presentations.
-
Interrupt people who talk too long or talk to each other.
-
Set an ending time for the meeting and stick to it.
