Be bold. Be brief. Be finished – The 30-minute meeting

The four-hour workweek. The seven-minute workout. The one-minute manager. Why not a 30-minute meeting? Meetings could benefit from concentrated schedules and production could rise when time is dedicated and distractions are alleviated. When a characteristic one-hour meeting is cut in half, awareness and focus lead to attentive, valuable, and tangent-free meetings. Below are some ways to get started.

• Set the agenda and point of focus. Establish the sole reason for the meeting. What discussion points will be covered? What decision must be made? By designing the end result of the meeting, those invited will know the structure and expectations.
• Invite those critical to the discussion. Every manager does not need to be at every meeting. Whose input is essential for the discussion? Who can gather feedback from other managers and bring relevant points to the meeting? Non-attending managers can be updated after the meeting, while those attending can focus on making the appropriate decision.
• Expect preparation. “Meetings are for decisions, not updates,” many a credit union CEO will say. With the agenda and point of focus established, information can be distributed beforehand to inform all attending. Clarifying questions can be answered ahead of time so all are prepared to act on the information and decide on the best solution.
• Get to the point. Thirty minutes doesn’t leave much time for socializing; respect the compacted schedule and get down to business. Begin on time, get the discussion started, and stay on target. Time pressure enhances focus and attention; and, focus leads to success.
• Invite discussion. While you manage the meeting, dedicated conversation from all adds value – to the discussion and for the participants. Ensure that you hear from all participants. If the conversation goes a bit off-topic (you’ll know), remind those attending of the focus for the meeting and the decision you are building toward.
• Make a decision. Getting traction on a single issue is more valuable than a verdict of procrastination. Momentum is an important product of meetings and you want to define the next steps of progress. Whether the decision is final or systematic, meetings are most successful when decisions and actions coexist.
• Summarize, set actions, and clarify success. The badge of a great meeting is what ensues after the meeting. Take a few minutes to encapsulate, establish activities, and determine how you will assess success. Those attending will understand their parts in moving determinedly toward the main point of focus.

There is a cost to halving the standard meeting time. All need to be fully prepared, present, and distraction-free. But, there are benefits, too. You get to the most critical points “first and fast,” boldly move toward decisions that affect your members and credit union, and make meetings more valuable for leaders. This allows them to move on to their tasks, and apply the lesson of focus through their day.