KEY POINTS:
We've all heard of stand-up arguments happening in the office. But how about a stand-up meeting? No chairs, no desks - just a white board and carpet. And for quick results - hold that meeting in a chilly room.
That's the advice of Allison O'Neill, author of The
Boss Benchmark, who says meetings should be fun, quick and decisive.
"An innovative way to ensure no time wasting goes on is the new 'standing meeting'," she says. "Some people swear by them. Or go one step further and hold all meetings in a refrigerated room, with a whiteboard, no chairs and no coffee.
"Meetings should be about getting things done and not held for the sake of it. They should be pleasant and friendly. Save socialising for when the social club fridge is open."
O'Neill says it is essential to have a clear reason for holding a meeting, and a relaxed and open atmosphere where everyone feels free to share their ideas will always get the best results.
And one way to help meetings along is to set a clear agenda - so everyone knows what is going to be discussed.
"It allows staff to ponder the topic and consider their thoughts before they attend," says O'Neill. "If the work culture is one where they feel their voice is insignificant, chances are they won't bother thinking about it or speaking up anyway - making the agenda and their attendance a waste."
While O'Neill is not a fan of generating unnecessary paperwork, she says minutes may need to be sent out to people that couldn't attend the meetings and to others by way of keeping them up to speed with what's happening. Those that attended the meeting shouldn't need the minutes she says; "they should have been listening".
"Sending out minutes does come back to communication and how much staff feel they know about what is going on at work," she says. "But it depends on the meeting's content. If it's about restructuring then it's [vital], if it's about when the casual day should be held - not so much."
O'Neill says some businesses have a "buddy system" where colleagues are relied on to pass on the news. However, she says not all meetings need to be formal and that casual get-togethers can often be just as productive.
"Some shy staff will try not to speak up in formal meetings, where as at others that have an air of 'casualness' they may be quite happy to hold the stage," she says. "Work doesn't have to be so serious all the time."
And for managers faced with a difficult meeting, other people's egos and the obligatory loud mouth spoiling the show, O'Neill has some clear thoughts.
"I think a medium level of 'loudmouth' is essential - I would even go as far to say let your staff tear your message to shreds - because if they do, and it remains intact then you have something successful," she says.
"If your idea crumbles under the pressure then you need to go back to the drawing board. Good managers would not put their 'ego shield' on when this starts happening - they'll sit down, shut up and learn.
"In saying that, there is sometimes a loudmouth who is being a real pain and annoying everyone else at the meeting. When they start getting really off topic, it should be dealt with as seminar-givers deal with hecklers: thank them for their point, suggest they research it further and you can discuss it one-on-one afterwards. That will separate the stage stealers from the genuine contributors."
O'Neill says with the right workplace culture egos shouldn't be an issue.
"If someone is so busy trying to nurture or patch up their ego they are probably in the wrong place," she says. "I think as workplaces move forward, those with ego issues will have to shape up or ship out. It's a time waster and it's stupid."
And there's a real trick to closing a meeting.
"Deal with any questions, summarise, state the next steps, tell them what to do - if they think of anything else of relevance they should be encouraged to call their manager," says O'Neill. "Finally, thank everybody for coming along."
