How to run a meeting (1976) • Hacker News Board

Re: How to run a meeting (1976)

#41

Post by xorcist » Thu, Dec 15, 2016, 11:02 PM UTC

cgio wrote: post #19

My take: 0) invite the right people 1) send all relevant reading material 2 days before meeting 2) have an agenda for the meeting - in the invitation 3) agree who runs the meeting 4) follow the agenda, keep a log of issues that hijack the discussion but leave it at that and keep on with the subject 5) document decisions 6) send email with decisions/actions Not that complex. I run meetings quite often, and they always…

1.5) Inform everyone of the purpose of the meeting. Shall we come to a decision about something, produce some code, or align the goals for the project?

Re: How to run a meeting (1976)

#42

Post by JoeAltmaier » Fri, Dec 16, 2016, 12:00 AM UTC

jermaustin1 wrote: post #40

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try Sococo - virtual conference rooms. I swear, its better than everybody sitting in a physical room. You can see, hear, share docs, chat, form subgroups and regroup fluidly. Caveat: I own stock (used to work there)

We have this through various other tools, but it will never kill off the need for face to face communications. Drawing on the white board, throwing markers at each other, two people presenting ideas at the same time. This is especially difficult during technical integration meetings, where you are tossing around ideas left and right.

Sococo does all but the 'throwing markers' part.

Re: How to run a meeting (1976)

#43

Post by asdfasdfa11112 » Fri, Dec 16, 2016, 3:58 AM UTC

drdeadringer wrote: post #37

slgeorge wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I think "send all the relevant reading materials before hand" is great, and I'd add "and make sure everyone reads them" which is a cultural thing. Another great one is to differentiate between items which are 'for decision' and those that are 'for discussion' - it sets expectations. If something is 'for decision' then the max-4-sides reading materials should cover all aspects (pros/cons) and it should be possib…

How does one "make sure everyone reads" the material? Issuing a pop quiz is popular amongst only school teachers.

Tufte says to set aside 1/3 of your meeting time to have everyone read the agenda and relevant information at the start.

Re: How to run a meeting (1976)

#44

Post by jwatte » Fri, Dec 16, 2016, 4:08 AM UTC

ThomPete wrote: post #22

I avoid meetings like the plague. Even when I was running a company with 80 people I would ask if I was necessary or my input was necessary. If not I wouldn't accept. Meetings are like teamwork trips. They are the illusion of progress. There are situations where they are necessary but nothing beat ongoing discussions around actual work.

Teamwork exercises actually do work to gel a new team, despite everyone rolling their eyes!

Re: How to run a meeting (1976)

#45

Post by ThomPete » Sun, Dec 18, 2016, 10:05 PM UTC

jwatte wrote: post #44

ThomPete wrote: post #22

I avoid meetings like the plague. Even when I was running a company with 80 people I would ask if I was necessary or my input was necessary. If not I wouldn't accept. Meetings are like teamwork trips. They are the illusion of progress. There are situations where they are necessary but nothing beat ongoing discussions around actual work.

Teamwork exercises actually do work to gel a new team, despite everyone rolling their eyes!

Not if the team aren't already good at teamwork in my experience.

Re: How to run a meeting (1976)

#46

Post by slgeorge » Thu, Dec 22, 2016, 11:47 PM UTC

drdeadringer wrote: post #37

slgeorge wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I think "send all the relevant reading materials before hand" is great, and I'd add "and make sure everyone reads them" which is a cultural thing. Another great one is to differentiate between items which are 'for decision' and those that are 'for discussion' - it sets expectations. If something is 'for decision' then the max-4-sides reading materials should cover all aspects (pros/cons) and it should be possib…

How does one "make sure everyone reads" the material? Issuing a pop quiz is popular amongst only school teachers.

Yes, that's what I meant by this this is a "cultural thing". In some organisations turning up to a meeting and not having done the pre-work would be unacceptable, in others it's not. It's something that the whole group has to buy into.