How easy is it to organize a meeting nowadays?
Yes, very easy. You just send a Calendar invite to a few people.
How easy is it to accept a meeting nowadays?
Again yes, very easy. You just click on ‘Accept’.
Great isn’t it?
Not really. Meetings are too easy to organize and accept. But they end up being so often not the best use of our time. Did you know that on average, an office worker spends about 31 hours each month in unproductive meetings?
31 hours each month….
Bonjour, this is Cyril from Work Smarter: Live Better, and in this video, I would like to share with you a simple tip that can help make your meetings more effective.
As someone who works with many teams around the world, I hear a common complaint – meetings are too many, too long, and often a waste of time. To address this issue, I suggest using the “Two for the Price of One” technique for the person who organizes the meeting.
What this means is that when you organize a meeting, you should actually plan for two meetings.
The first meeting is with yourself. Before sending out invitations, take some time to think about why you are having the meeting, what you want to achieve, what topics you want to cover, and who needs to prepare what.
I call this the “aim, agenda, prep.”
Once you have a clear plan, you can then send invitations and organize the second meeting with the right people.
By taking the time to plan beforehand, you show respect to the people you are inviting by giving them a clear idea of what the meeting is about, and what they need to prepare. This, in turn, leads to better returns on your investment, as you will have a more successful meeting with better outcomes.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to review the meetings you have organized in the next few days or weeks and ask yourself if they require the “Two for the Price of One” approach. By blocking a small meeting with yourself to plan and organize, you will be able to run a more effective meeting that everyone will appreciate.
I hope you find this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip helpful.
Have a beautiful day!
A bientôt,
Cyril
