Meetings and the 5 Sources of Organizational Energy

The purpose of meetings is to energize small wins.

5 sources of organizational energy that connect to meetings:

1. Progress. Nothing fuels energy more than moving the ball down the field.
2. Contributing to a winning cause. Do something that matters.
3. Connecting with players who are dedicated to winning.
4. Solving problems and eliminating barriers to progress.
5. Feeling released rather than blocked.

3 goals of mid-level management meetings:

1. Figure out what’s working and how to do more of it.
2. Identify what isn’t working and either stop doing it or fix it. Make work easier and more productive.
3. Choose what new things to do next.

15 potential agenda items for management teams:

1. What small wins occurred last week/month?
2. What caused small wins?
3. Who in the organization should be acknowledged? How?
4. What does winning look like this week/month?
5. How will we know we are winning?
6. What kept us from achieving greater success last week/month?
7. What are we doing about barriers to winning?
8. What new thing(s) will we try this week/month? Organizations that don’t try new things, die.
9. Where is the energy in our organization? How will we fuel it?
10. Where are we pushing ropes? What should we change or stop?
11. How can we create an environment that promotes winning? Think of things you can control; don’t whine about things you can’t.
12. Who are we holding back? How can we release them?
13. What dangers wait around the corner? How can we prepare today?
14. Who needs to be developed? How?
15. Who does what by when? Why?

Bonus: Add the word “specifically” to each item.

Meetings that de-energize teams create losses.

Challenge: The next time you prepare to lead a meeting, ask, “How does this meeting ignite energy to win.”

What agenda items are most important for you right now? Why?

What new agenda items would you add to the conversation?