Leadership: What If You're Too Busy?

Let's suppose that you're too busy to prepare an agenda. What should you do?

The answer is simple: Cancel the meeting.

Here's why:

1) Bad Impression.

An unplanned meeting shows an inability to plan. This could ruin a career if such a failing became a personal brand within an organization. Many executives use a person's ability to lead a meeting as a basis for awarding promotions. Thus, it's unlikely that top executives would trust larger responsibilities to someone who was unable to manage a small activity such as a meeting.

2) Wrong Result.

When people are stuck without a plan, they drift. Then they feel frustrated. This leads to anger, and people never make wise decisions when they're mad. Thus, any decision will probably be a bad one -- incomplete, inappropriate, or impossible.

3) Cause Problems.

When people feel threatened, as they will in a meeting without direction, they attempt to protect themselves. They do this by either over performing or under performing. Either of these leads to mistakes. They say dumb things. They hurt each other's feelings. Or they avoid saying anything. All of this damages the relationships necessary for effective cooperation after the meeting. The result is problems in other work areas.

4) Cost Money.

People are hired to work on tasks that move a business forward. No one is hired to sit in a conference room arguing over what they should be talking about. Thus, time spent in a bad meeting prevents people from working on things that make money for the business.

Of course, there is an exception to the first point.

If you work for a business where no one knows how to hold an effective meeting, a bad meeting may appear normal. Then people can be promoted for the wrong reasons.

In that case, be warned. Such an organization has a limited future.

There are two options if this describes your organization:

1) Save the business. Buy a workshop that shows people how to hold better, effective meetings.

2) Leave.

Key Point: If you're too busy to plan, then you're too busy to deal with the problems that follow.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

714-528-1300

PS: My workshop on Effective Meetings shows practical techniques that work.

Author, Speaker, IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

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