Lean meetings
How many meetings have you attended this week?
How many felt useful for YOU?
How much time in the meeting was productive?
“The waste of waiting”
Is the meeting needed?
1. Is a meeting the best option or could it be done by e-mail, phone, calling in at
somebody’s office
2. Apply Five Whys principle to have decision to have a meeting. Why have a
meeting….etc…..
Making the meeting productive
Many approaches have been suggested to improving the productivity of meetings but most
have similar approaches
3. Decide what sort of meeting it is (information-sharing, decision-making meetings,
idea-generating) and do not mix the types.
4. Circulate an agenda stating the aims of the meeting and the timing
5. If people need to do pre-reading or pre-work then develop a culture where it is
unacceptable to attend without having done this.
6. Determine how you will recognise that the meeting has been a success
7. Ensure people attending all have a role, if they only need to be there for a part of the
meeting schedule their time
8. Nominate a time keeper
9. Make the meeting less confrontational. One method is to adopt De Bono’s six thinking
hats (ISBN: 978-0140296662) method. Rather than arguing over a topic, this aims
to bring everyone together by all focussing on the same approach in turn. What is
right not who is right?
10. No distractions – no blackberries, phones, e-mailing
11. Stick to the point
12. Establish an action plan with dates and people allocated to tasks
13. Don’t arrange another meeting unless it is vital, use other means to communicate
lean meetings.doc
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A PDSA on a meeting will ensure its productivity
Some people say that making people stand around a whiteboard leads to shorter meetings.
Remember that culture is vital- everyone must be working to the same aim, be open with
each other, not have hidden agendas and undertake the work they agree to in the timescale
agreed.
INFORMATION-SHARING
MEETINGS
DECISION-M AKING MEETINGS
IDEA-GENERATING MEETINGS
Goal
Goal
Goal
For participants to provide
useful information to one
another about their work. The
information is not being used to
make a decision.
Suggestions
Allow enough time for
everyone to participate.
Don’t let talkative members
use up too much time.
Stay focused on information
relevant to the whole group.
Schedule one-on-one
meetings to pursue individual
issues or concerns.
Encourage people to ask
questions.
Identify opportunities for
people to help each other.
To make a decision about a
problem or issue. The final
decision may be a group
consensus or may be made by
the leader.
Suggestions
If you’ve already made up
To come up with innovative and
creative approaches to a
situation.
Suggestions
Allow plenty of time.
your mind, don’t have a
Go off-site if possible.
meeting.
Dress casually.
Only include people involved
in the decision process.
Be sure everyone
understands the decision to be
made.
Be sure everyone
understands how the decision
will be made.
Structure the discussion to
make the best use of time.
Encourage everyone to share
information and opinions.
Listen to different view points.
Identify areas of agreement
and disagreement.
Use an appropriate decisionmaking strategy.
At the end of the meeting,
make “next step” assignments.
 Marie G. McIntyre ▪ Atlanta, Georgia
http://www.yourofficecoach.com/Topics/leading_a_productive_meeting.htm
Prevent interruptions. Turn
off cell phones and pagers.
Don’t bring up unrelated work
issues.
Encourage people to share
all ideas.
Do not criticize or judge ideas
when they are shared.
Reinforce “out-of-the-box”
thinking.
Provide a structure for
narrowing down alternatives.
At the end of the meeting,
agree on what happens next.
Encourage people to relax,
laugh, joke, have fun!