Summary of The Surprising Science of Meetings
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Many managers regard inefficient, unproductive or boring meetings as an unavoidable business flaw. Professor Steven G. Rogelberg challenges this assumption with ideas on how to stop wasting time and energy by facilitating better meetings. He bases his advice on research, best practices and surveys. Rather than cancelling meetings, he says, improve them by being mindful and skillful about their design and delivery. He suggests short “standing meetings,” which offer health benefits, satisfaction and efficiency. To improve your meeting culture, try his smart strategies.
About the Author
Steven G. Rogelberg is professor of organizational science, management and psychology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He researches, teaches and consults with large organizations on meeting science.
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1 month agoAwesome tips.
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6 months agoGreat tips!
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7 months agoMore relevant & very good points for a good meeting
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8 months agovery important tips over here, i love it
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9 months agoSome good point in here. Would have liked to get tips on virtual meetings. Rarely are meeting audio only.
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9 months agoReally good findings.is there a way to structure a good agenda for better meeting atmosphere
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1 year agoIsn’t there a section where the author recommends to structure the agenda with questions? At least I heard him say that in an interview. If so, it would be a key idea to add into the summary here.
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1 year agoHi Herbert, Thank you for your comment.
We went back to the book to check on your query. The author mentions questions in his discussion of agenda setting in a couple of contexts, but not in terms of structuring the agenda using questions.
He suggests writing to attendees three to five days in advance asking if they have agenda items to include and why they want to include them.
He also suggests having a Q&A session at the end of meetings, but limiting it to an announced number of questions. He says agendas should focus on goals and decisions that require group interaction. He also offers questions the meeting manager should ask in deciding on a list of attendees, such as, who has the necessary information and knowledge. Hope that helps. The book is very applicable and we recommend it highly.
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2 years agoExcellent takeaways for creating successful meeting