The three types of people who make meetings ineffective
Padders, positioners and pure pointers are common culprits in undermining meetings.
Padders, positioners and pure pointers are common culprits in undermining meetings.
Most people believe they attend too many meetings. If attending meetings was an objective, we’d all be ranked as high-performing.
And yet, according to Atlassian, three out of four meetings are ineffective, leaving people frustrated and stressed because of the time they feel they’ve wasted.
The reasons for unproductive meetings include a lack of purpose or agenda, lack of preparation (‘I didn’t have time to do the pre-reading, as I was too busy attending other meetings that I was equally unprepared for’), having too many or the wrong people attending, and failure to agree and follow up on actions.
But even with adequate preparation, the right participants and a clear agenda, the value of any meeting depends largely on the way the key players choose to communicate.
Here are three common communication styles that hinder the effectiveness of meetings. Do you recognise any of them?
The first on the list is the padder – the over-communicator who tends to dominate the meeting.
There can be several reasons for people padding out their points. Sometimes it’s nerves; sometimes it’s a lack of logical thought process. Often, though, it’s because padders like the sound of their own voice.
They are in broadcast mode and will talk at length about one point on the agenda.
Some of what they say can be helpful – insights or details that add value. But they couch it in so much unnecessary padding, going off on tangents or repeating themselves, that the key message is lost.
When a padder is speaking, you’ll probably find yourself tuning out. You won’t be the only one. If the meeting is online, you can be sure that some attendees will be surreptitiously checking and responding to emails.
Finding a gap in their monologue is a challenge, making it hard for others to disagree or raise a new point. But if you want the meeting to finish on time, finding a way to interject is crucial. Padders do not run out of steam quickly.
Unlike the padders, positioners come to a meeting with a clear purpose. They are there to influence and gain buy-in for their idea.
Positioners like to tee up their proposal with rationale weighted heavily to their version of events. These focused and seemingly compelling arguments ensure participants are more likely to support whatever action is being recommended.
As the positioners’ aim is to get agreement and move on, they run efficient meetings. So long as everyone agrees with them, that is. The problem with positioners is that they aren’t always willing to listen to alternative views. And when there are two positioners with different objectives then the meeting can get heated.
If a positioner is particularly adept at influencing, they have probably socialised their ideas with key members of the meeting in advance. The meeting then becomes a formal sign-off for their plans rather than a forum for debate and discussion. Some attendees may find this frustrating, especially if they feel that others are ignoring or sidelining key risks or opportunities.
While stakeholder management and thoughtful positioning are essential skills, this approach may come across as excessively political and manipulative if overused or lacking consideration for others’ perspectives.
Last but not least is the pure pointer.
Pure pointers believe that facts rather than charisma should inform decisions. They say what needs to be said and nothing more.
A breath of fresh air after all the noise from the padders and the positioners’ mind games?
Possibly.
Certainly, highly influential participants can say very little in a meeting and still command a great following. But only if they have taken the time to build that respect. These people tend to have a long tenure or be quite senior.
When more junior individuals – or those newer to a team – make a clear and simple point, the outcome is often quite different. They can find themselves ignored and their input overlooked. Only for the very same point to be raised again after more padding and positioned by someone else as the best way forward.
So, although much is made of the need for evidence-based decisions, don’t be fooled into thinking that the most reasonable point will win the day. It’s often the people who talk for the longest or who are the loudest that win the agreement, not those who quietly listen and wait to speak only when they feel they have an important contribution to make.
A day of meetings need not be a waste of time. Actively observing how others conduct themselves in both online and face-to-face meetings will build your awareness of human interactions and hone your own communication skills. And you can learn as much from the types of people who make meetings ineffective as the participants who add value.
So, take note from the padders about when it is helpful to go into greater depth. But learn when to curb the discussion and simply deliver a clear, succinct point. And make sure you present a logical thought process.
Recognise that you need conviction and good positioning as much as subject matter expertise for buy-in. And to avoid mistrust from your colleagues, be open about your stakeholder interactions. Demonstrate your purpose. Acknowledge the contributions of others and keep your own ego in check. And learn when to curb the discussion and simply deliver a clear, succinct point.
In each meeting, flexibility is key.
Reading the room will help you recognise when best to employ and encourage different communication styles. This, in turn, will help to ensure each meeting has the right amount of input, reflection, assessment of the options and time for decision-making.
DRIVE Emotional Intelligence
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