How to mitigate meeting madness…

by James Hudson

I’m a product manager and about 70% of my time at work recently has been spent in meetings. As the earlier nights and colder weather of winter draws in, I’m searching for ways to become more productive and happier at work. And I’ve decided to go after meetings…

Meetings: The Necessary Evil

Every product manager can relate to the avalanche of meetings that dominate our schedules. Be it product development kick-offs, discovery sessions, user research, or internal team meetings, it often feels like our calendars are bursting at the seams. But fear not, with a few tips you can reclaim your time and sanity.

Prioritise Your Meetings

Let’s face it, not every meeting warrants your undivided attention. Distinguish between high-priority ones like product development or customer meetings, and those which might not require as much focus. It’s all about prioritising your time in the same way you do your development!

The Rhythm of Team Meetings

While team meetings are invaluable, their frequency can sometimes be overwhelming. The key is regularity. Have them at fixed intervals and ensure they’re structured. This ensures everyone stays in sync and minimises redundancy.

The Magic of Clear Agendas

A defined agenda is your roadmap to an effective meeting. Distributing it beforehand primes attendees to the discussion and reduces aimless diversions. More importantly, it breeds clarity.

Size Does Matter: Limit Attendees

The larger the gathering, the more the chaos. Try and limit attendees to only those who’re essential to the discussion. This ensures that the conversation remains streamlined and decisions are reached faster.

Follow-Up: The Unsung Hero

Post-meeting, it’s crucial to circle back on decisions. This ensures that everyone’s aligned and action items don’t fall through the cracks. Always maintain a record of meetings. It not only serves as a reference but also brings anyone that wasn’t present up to speed.

The Anatomy of a Good Meeting

While we’re mitigating the overload, let’s also focus on quality. A good meeting is concise, has a clear objective, and results in actionable steps. It values everyone’s time and doesn’t veer off into tangents.

Deep Work: A Tangent to Meetings

Beyond meetings, it’s imperative to allocate time for deep work. This is the uninterrupted, focused time where real innovation and progress occur. It’s the balance between collaborative meetings and individual productivity.

Practical Tips

1. Time Boxing: Set strict start and end times
2. Never end on the hour (or half hour): Give everyone that attends your meetings 5/10 minutes of their day back
3. Feedback Loop: Periodically gather feedback about meeting effectiveness and adapt accordingly.

In Closing

Meetings, when managed correctly, are an essential and powerful tool for a product manager. The trick lies in optimisation and ensuring that every meeting adds tangible value. As winter comes rolling in, I hope these few tips give you a bit of balance.