This morning I watched the video below in The Daily. I immediately tweeted that if anyone has ever run a meeting, they should view this video. President Clinton and his foundation have come up with this genius idea to create something funny so people would learn about the Clinton Foundation. This morning I'd like to consider this as a teaching moment of how NOT to run a meeting. Watch, laugh then read.
6 Ways NOT to Run a Meeting:
1. Substitute "brainstorming" for "agenda." Brainstorming can be great... assuming everyone is on the same page. Here there are multiple agendas going on. If you're a leader, start planning your agenda for the meeting long before the meeting takes place. Think it through. Write it down. Review it before the meeting starts with everyone in the room. Make sure everyone is on the same agenda.
2. Look for a group of winners rather than a winning group. Here we have a room filled with comedic geniuses. (Which is why the video idea for the Clinton Foundation is such a genius idea.) However I have discovered that often people can be really great on their own doing their own thing, and yet be complete duds in a meeting. A group of people does not equal team.
3. Long Meetings Equal Productivity. Ben Stiller begins the video with this statement: "It's been two hours and we still don't have anything." If you don't have anthing after two hours, it's pretty clear you're not going to have anything in hours 3, 4 or 5. Actually I'd say 30 minutes is about tops.
4. Allow Surprises to Derail Purpose. Sean Penn has his own surprise: "Stop stealing my sandwiches." This has nothing to do with the agenda. Oh wait... there's no agenda. Go back and read #1.
5. Forget Your Mission Under Guise of Camaraderie. Matt Damon observes that team spirit (morale, camaraderie, community - pick any of the above) is down so they should start a softball team. Camaraderie is built when all are working well toward a common purpose. Starting something off-mission for the purpose of building team spirit is the surest way to kill team spirit.
6. Let Group Enthusiasm Replace Your Better Judgment. Kevin Spacey calls in pretending to be President Clinton and tells the group how wonderful their ideas are. Everyone is relieved and surprised. Why? Because the ideas stink. And everyone in the room - in their heart - knows it. However the elation of the group overwhelms better judgment. Sometimes you need to listen to your own better judgment.
