If your business or organization is experiencing the stress of too much too do and too few to do everything, it’s time for more meetings.
It’s not time to hire a lot more people. The recovery is still fragile and you might not be seeing pre-collapse success as yet. But, you can get more done and improve internal communication by holding “speed meetings”.
What’s a speed meeting? Short, sweet and productive meetings. In other words, schedule 15 minute meetings throughout the day. This concept really works if people know that another meeting will be held in, say, 2 hours.
Why do this?
When things get busy, people are really stressed by constant interruptions.
When things get busy, people need answers from others. Do we have these in stock if I sell 100 pieces? When can we ship this order? Do we have approval to process this? Has this payment been received?
All those interruptions add to stress. Plan a 15 minute meeting 3 times a day and get everyone in the same room. Here are the instructions:
- Meet for 15 minutes ONLY (use a timer!!!)
- Let people know you are meeting again at (2:00?)
- Instruct people NOT to interrupt others during the day, save the questions for the meetings.
- People are to supply answers via internal e-mail immediately following meetings.
- NO BREAKS IMMEDIATELY AFTER MEETINGS (Answers first)
- NO BITCHING at meetings, there isn’t time for it.
This will reduce interruptions and greatly increase productivity. AND it will improve morale.
You’ll have to do this for a few days and everyone will have to participate. Shut the door promptly at start time. End the meeting exactly at 15 minutes.
This works.