Could This Meeting Have Been An Email? - 28 Hacks, Tips, & Tricks

Productivity Gladiator

Ever been in a meeting and thought “UGH, this meeting could have been an email?”

This episode is a massive knowledge share, where Brian reveals some of the tips, tricks, and hacks he teaches in his training on this topic. It’s time to pull back the curtain on meeting efficiency, effectiveness, and skill.

See the full details and links on the episode's page.

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Links to References In This Episode

My Facebook Reel that went viral and inspired the idea for this episode.

The research I mentioned showing when people are most likely to say yes.

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Episode Digest

New Type Of Episode starting 2024

This is a massive knowledge share. I’m going to be doing more of these as well.

The idea for episodes like this came from a Facebook Reel I shared that went viral last year. It was a simple knowledge hack, but based on the engagement it was something people were interested in.

Through Productivity Gladiator I teach personal practical productivity skills. I have a lot of knowledge and hacks to share. The episodes with guests with guests deliver practical and interesting takeaways, and I also want to share all the hacks and tips that I’m delivering in my workshops as well.

here’s the overall concept to remember: Synchronous or Asynchronous Communication

Does the person receiving the communication need to be there receiving it at the same time you’re sending it?

Synchronous is received live at the exact same moment the person is speaking it:
Examples: Meetings, Phone calls.

Asynchronous is received at some point (could be shortly, or much longer, after):
Example: Email, shared Google or Sharepoint Documents, teams/slack messages

List of # Tips & Hacks

A meeting is likely a good idea if: Everyone can/should contribute real time

Yes for developing the solution to a problem, brainstorming, or a situation where there are a lot of questions to be answered.

No - if you’re just going to ask them to send you an email later with their ideas, or if you were just going to mute their mics anyway.

A meeting is likely a good idea if: Time is short, you can’t wait for everyone to get back to you via a return message.

A meeting is likely a good idea if: Messages have gone back and forth several times already.

A meeting is likely a good idea if: Messaging has created more questions than answers.

A meeting is likely a good idea if: You need someone to say yes.

Most likely to say yes in the first half of the morning, or the first 2 hours after lunch.

A meeting is NOT needed if: Everyone is not expected to actively contribute

Examples: status meetings, staff meetings

Favorite phrase to put perspective on whether this meeting is needed: “There’s a lot of money in this room” (how much everyone’s time is worth)

A meeting is NOT needed if: Everyone who needs to speak cannot attend

A meeting is NOT needed if: This is just a chance for you to read to everyone the info sent in advance.

A successful meeting is on TAPP

Timely Start and End

Agenda - Provided ahead of time.

If it’s not on the agenda, add it to the next meeting, or let participants have input to add it to this one.

Preparation - What do people need to bring, or do, in advance?

Purpose - Why are we having this meeting?

How many meetings per day?

Optimal - no more than half your day. Research says somewhere in the 3-4 hours total per day.

Ideally grouped together. Better to have a block of meetings and time before and/or after

NOTE: It’s often not up to you, I get it, just something that’s helpful to keep in mind.

Meeting Success Tip - Record The Meeting – For anyone who cannot attend, they can watch the recording, no need to “catch people up” who were out. (tip, watch at 2x or 3x speed)

Meeting Success Tip - Record Action Items - Review these at the end of the meeting.

Meeting Success Tip - Acknowledge The People Then Proceed - Even if it’s brief or intros necessary, then start agenda.

Common Meeting Mistake - DO NOT: Ignore the agenda.

Common Meeting Mistake - DO NOT: Catch people up, who are late to the meeting.

Common Meeting Mistake - DO NOT: Run over the allotted time - Ask permission first if you only need ## minutes, or schedule another time to meet to continue.

Meeting Alternatives - If you DO NOT need confirmation message received (ex: if they missed the meeting, no makeup needed)

Recorded Video (Video Podcast) (all 3 types of people: watch, listen & read)

Podcast/Audio Message - Recorded Announcements

Teams/Slack Channel discussion

Email

Cloud Document - Shared Link. (everyone provides ideas)

Meeting Alternatives - If you DO need confirmation of message received (ex: if they missed meeting you would need to meet with person who missed to make it up. This is probably rare.

Send Email - Read Receipt Requested

Send out a Form/Survey - Completion Required

This could be a video, audio, written, or recommend all three.

Online Training

Send out a Survey (Microsoft Form)

Create Powerapp to automate follow-up.

HYBRID MEETING TIP - Everyone who speaks is on camera on their own individual camera.

In a conference room, everyone bring your own laptop

HYBRID MEETING TIP - “Spotlight” the person speaking.

Designate whose job this is in the beginning

Important if more than 10 people in meeting.

HYBRID MEETING TIP - Collaboration done through meeting software.

Virtual Whiteboard gets way more interaction than live whiteboard with camera on it.

ONLINE MEETING TIP - Important Meeting Options (Set by host):

Who can bypass the lobby? - “Everyone” Unless you want popups disrupting your meeting

Leverage Co-Organizers to help mute/control/spotlight.

Allow mic for attendees?

For big meetings, likely “no”. Add person as Co-Organizer if they need to speak.

Allow camera for attendees?

Allow meeting chat? (would Q&A be better?)

HYBRID/ONLINE MEETING PRO MOVE: Host mutes, don’t ask the crowd to.

None of this “Everyone Mute Your Lines”

HYBRID/ONLINE MEETING PRO MOVE: Take breaks at least every 50 minutes. Tell them you’ll do this up front. People need “bio breaks” and “brain breaks. If you don’t, you’ll lose them.

TIP ON CHANGING MEETING CULTURE - Imagine it’s your meeting someone says “this doesn’t need to be a meeting”. You’ve had this meeting weekly for 2 years? You (or the person you’re talking to) may go through the stages of grief about this. (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance)

TIP ON CHANGING MEETING CULTURE: Their Idea & Be Kind

If you can, let them think it’s there idea, see if they take the hint and do it on their own

Be kind, be positive, don’t lead with “this meeting is a waste”.

TIP ON CHANGING MEETING CULTURE - Start with your own. Sometimes if it’s effective, people will copycat you, then everyone wins, and they’ll think it’s their idea (Story: Video Podcast idea)

2 questions to ask yourself to determine, should this be a meeting

Will it be a value add for everyone at this meeting to contribute to the meeting

Hint: will you be disabling the mics/cameras/chat during the meeting? Record it and send it on its own.

If someone is out on vacation and misses this, they won’t need to make it up?

I can help your team with this! Can I come talk to your team about this?

Sometimes it’s scary to bring this up from inside the organization due to office politics or not wanting to rock the boat by recommending someone above you change. Businesses bring me in to help with this, it’s what I do.

I teach a workshop on this topic specifically.

If I can help, reach out to me, lets chat. Connect me with your workplace, lets set up a session for me to talk about this for your team.

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Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “13 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events!

About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. After spending a career hands-on in the trenches as a senior project manager, I now help others to level-up through my Productivity Gladiator training. These Gladiators wield email management superpowers, a laser-guided ability to focus, samurai-grade prioritization skills, a sniper-precise task tracking approach, Jedi time management skills, and a secret sauce for maximizing their personal life balance. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.