Meetings: The First 15 Minutes Matter

Beginnings make a huge difference. 

Meetings offer a perfect example.

I was working with a VP who started off her 3-day, first quarter meeting with a 20 minute introduction. In that 20 minutes she crisply and energetically laid out:

• The purpose and expected outcome of the three days
• Three highlights and three lowlights from the previous year
• Why people were seated, by name card, at their six-person tables. (There were actually two reasons):

    1. To include representatives of different functions at each table
 

    2.  To have a new manager at each table who had never been with the 60-person group before. 

It really beats spending an hour having new people introduce themselves, tell their histories, and then know nothing about the rest of the group. As a result of meals, breaks, and small group sessions, everyone knew everyone else pretty darned well by 6 p.m.

The overall impact of the opening? High energy, enthusiasm, and clarity.

The learning: Give people lots of information in advance so they can participate quickly and effectively.

Each day included small group sessions focused on product lines, operations, and continuous improvement. By 8:45 all participants knew which small groups they would be a part of on each day (they changed); why they were in that group; and what the task would be for each. By the time the first breakout sessions started at 1 p.m., everyone was mentally prepared to participate.

This isn't revolutionary stuff. It's the kind of intentional, thoughtful planning often forgotten in the haste of organizing agendas and travel plans. Yet these process details are the ones that make or break a successful meeting.

 

Comments

[Chris]

Steve: I agree the first 15 minutes is very important, but it goes further than that. I recently attended a similar type of meeting and there are a number of key moments before the introductions start.

1. The venue was fantastic, big car park, love it.
2. Reception was good, this is an area where many organisation get let, in this case the reception staff
had been properly briefed,and couldn't do enough for me.
3. Great coffee available before the start

All these things got us in the right mood, prior to the introduction starting, how often have you turned up somewhere, can't park, reception aren't sure which room your in and no coffee.
Even someone with a great intro is going to struggle to get people going after that.
So I agree with you attention to detail is important and so often missing.
@chrischanner1

[Ted @ Luck Shop]

Long meetings and conventions seem to be 60% awkward and 20% social and 20% productive and effective. Being engaging and getting things moving from the jump like this is always a great approach. Get the hard part done and set the tone for the rest of the engagement. Cheers.

[Ian]

My wife suggested at our wedding where the reception had five tables of ten people that we put the names of people attending under each side plate. This was a different person to the person who was at the seat. Before the reception got started I got up and told people that they had a name card under each side plate and they were to go and find that person in the reception hall and introduce themselves. The other person they did not know.

I was really sceptical of this idea, but you know first day of married life I decided to go along with it.

Boy was I wrong. There was chaos as everyone was connecting. It was fantastic and the ice was broken instantly between people.

A variation on the idea of the meeting that you describe, but my wife's idea is something I would recommend, however crazy it sounds at face value!!!

[ronald]

Really like the blog, appreciate the share!

[military resume writer]

You are absolutely right the first 15 minutes is very important, as it will set the tone of the rest of the meeting. This is an eye-opener and I will suggest this strategy on our next event. It would be great if people will be more comfortable with everyone at the end of the day. More interactions the better for everyone. Cheers!

[Rob Moore]

Great tip! I learned something new! Thanks for sharing!