Ask what kind of meeting it is first

You know how it goes. An invitation arrives with a subject and a time, and nothing else. So you go along and wait and see. Sometimes it turns out to be an update where you did not have to do anything. And sometimes someone asks for your opinion halfway through about a budget you have never seen. Then you sit there improvising a bit.

In a training session on meetings, I asked the participants to look at their diaries. What meetings are scheduled for the coming weeks, and what kind of meetings are they exactly? That turned out to be a harder question than you might think. Yet the distinction is quite simple, and it changes how you prepare.

Copy the prompt at the bottom of this article. You can use it to figure out what kind of meeting it is for every invitation.

Three kinds, and each asks something different of you

The first kind is the information meeting. Someone gives an update, and then the next person, and then the next. That is actually one-way communication. And often you can safely wonder if that meeting could not have been an email. Sometimes it is necessary for everyone to hear the same thing at the same time, for example to avoid noise in the organisation. But then you also know that little input is expected of you.

The second kind is the consultation meeting. A problem or a new idea is on the table, and the people around the table each bring their knowledge. That can be a brainstorm, a new product or a marketing campaign. A dialogue arises here, and sometimes solutions come out of it that no one would have come up with alone. So input and expertise are expected of you.

The third kind is the decision meeting. A budget needs to be approved, a strategy chosen or something validated. That is called a decision gate, a gate something has to pass through before work can continue. The people around that table have a mandate. And whoever decides wants to be able to read up on it. When I sit down with my accountant about the annual accounts, I want to receive them beforehand. Investments are tied to it, and that decision lies with me.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of meetings are there?

Roughly speaking there are three kinds, and they each ask something different of you. An information meeting gives an update in one direction. A consultation meeting looks for a solution together. A decision meeting brings people with a mandate together to approve or choose something.

Why are mixed forms not a good idea?

The more kinds you put into one meeting, the less comes out of it. People then do not know how to prepare, and reflective thinkers get no time to let information settle.

What do I do if the invitation does not say what kind of meeting it is?

Just ask the organiser: what kind of meeting is this? The answer tells you whether you are mainly coming to listen, or also have to contribute ideas and decide.

Where do I practise this further?

In the training course 'Facilitation: let people truly work together' you practise how to prepare and guide meetings. You can find all dates at Workshops & Events.

Keep reading for free

Register free with your e-mail address and read on. Your account opens the free articles in the learning space; the rest is for subscribers, from Learn Plus up.

No comments yetRead the comments

Comments

Members comment here and read each other's comments. Register for free or sign in to join the conversation.

No comments yet. What do you take away?