1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to first ask why, then ask when. 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 1: Getting clear on the purpose of any gathering can help 5 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: make sure that it's a wise use of time. When 6 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: I talk with people about their schedules, one of the 7 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: biggest complaints is that there are way too many meetings now. 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: Meetings exist for a reason. Of course, we need to 9 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: collaborate with other people to achieve goals that we couldn't 10 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: have on our own, and the right people to achieve 11 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: those goals are unlikely to randomly show up all together 12 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: at a time when we are best prepared to work 13 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: with them. Scheduling a meeting with certain people for a 14 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: certain time means we can get work done. But oh, 15 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: is there a big but coming. Many organizations rely way 16 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: too heavily on meetings. Every project needs its own weekly 17 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: meetings to make sure people are still doing their jobs 18 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: because there are so many other weekly meetings that a 19 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: meeting is the only way to enforce accountability and deadlines. 20 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: Having half a schedule full of meetings is not at 21 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: all a typical and sometimes between email and meetings days 22 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: get so crowded that any other work has to be 23 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: done at night or on weekends, which can lead to burnout. 24 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: There are many factors at work, but one little check 25 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,919 Speaker 1: can help with lowering the volume. Whenever people start talking 26 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: about meeting, the first question should be why before you 27 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: get to win. That is, when someone says we need 28 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: to meet about the Smith project, the first question should 29 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: not be when is every one free to meet? It 30 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: should be what do we need to decide about the 31 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: Smith Project? In other words, what is the purpose of 32 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: this meeting? Now? There is no need to make this antagonistic. 33 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: It is just a simple question like this, I'd love 34 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: to talk with you about the Smith Project? What are 35 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: we trying to decide? Or I'd love to meet about that. 36 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: Can you tell me a little bit more about what 37 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: you'd like me to help with so I know best 38 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 1: how to prepare. These are all absolutely legitimate questions. You 39 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: don't want to waste the other person's time either. Asking 40 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: these questions also leads to some good follow up information. 41 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: Maybe you find out that the thing the person needs 42 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: to decide about the Smith project is not actually in 43 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: your purview. You have no power to approve it, and 44 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: so you are not the right person to meet with. 45 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: Good to know before it's on the schedule. Or maybe 46 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: you see that the thing you are supposed to help 47 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: with is in nation you have readily available. You can 48 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: just send it over. No need to meet now. Of course, 49 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: you may see that you really do need to decide 50 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: something together. If so, that is awesome. Now you have 51 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: the skeleton of an agenda for your meeting. You know 52 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: what the outcome needs to be, and so you can 53 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: work backwards to figure out how you will get there 54 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: and how long those steps will take. Not only do 55 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: you know that you do need to meet, you will 56 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: now have a much better meeting. This is an excellent 57 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: and time saving outcome too. I believe this question can 58 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: help even with meeting requests from your supervisor. Yes, asking 59 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: why you are not trying to get out of something. 60 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: You are asking the why so you can do the 61 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: work necessary to have the best meeting possible. This isn't 62 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: rude at all. Indeed, I'd argue that it would be 63 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: rude not to assist your busy supervisor by trying to 64 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: figure this all out. When you have a good why, 65 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: you can then enthusiastically find a time on the schedule 66 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: that works, and you know you won't spend the first 67 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: ten minutes of the meeting figuring out why you're meeting 68 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: and sometimes discovering, to everyone's annoyance that you really didn't 69 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: need to meet at all. Better to ask that question 70 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: up front and avoid those bad feelings that didn't have 71 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: to happen in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, 72 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 73 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 74 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 75 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 76 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 77 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 78 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,679 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled 79 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 80 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 81 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, 82 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 83 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.