A friend tells a story of being called into a meeting late Friday afternoon. The Managing Director stressed, warns that the company will be in trouble without a change of direction. Something has to change.
He tells the management team to devise ideas over the weekend to save the company.
My friend reviews the minutes from previous meetings, picks out unfinished tasks, and rehashes the content. However, one of the members of the management team sees this as his long-awaited opportunity to tell his side of the story.
By Monday morning, our hero prepares a document outlining steps to salvage the company. He distributes copies and instructs everyone to read the information before the meeting.
When the meeting time arrives, the MD enters, throws the report on the desk in disgust, and launches into a tirade.
Who are you to tell me what to do? he cries.
Everyone else awkwardly shuffles their papers and talks about moving the coffee machine or postponing the Christmas party. You get the idea.
If you are willing to be surprised and hear phrases like “I didn’t see that coming!” and “I hadn’t thought of it that way before” then consider a meeting with no agenda.
If, on the other hand, you have an agenda, it’s probably best that everyone else you work with knows it too.