Ms the Word: Too many meetings
*Why meetings need to be about decision-making, not information sharing.*
By on Jan 17, 2011We are just coming away from an advisory board in the UK.
I am more than slightly irritated because I have left the Desigual bag, containing a gift for my wife, in the meeting room.
My colleague has just called to tell me that he will get it couriered to the office, so with luck I will still have it in time for the weekend.
I think that only 10 years ago, I would have been content to expect the parcel in two days.
Now, the difference between the instantaneous Internet communication and the two days for DHL will seem like a lifetime.
A part of me does not think it will actually arrive, and that I will be the man who lost his wife's present behind in the meeting room.
But there is another perspective.
I will enjoy receiving the parcel, because I get so few, even though I know what is in it.
It was a good meeting, though, in which I felt the physicians fully understood the objectives and gave excellent insights into the next steps in our strategy.
Over four short hours, we discussed a couple of clinical trials, evaluated some market research findings, and concluded with remarkable alignment on some next steps.
I owe a lot to one of the advisors, who is now a friend.
I have worked with him so many times through so many different companies and products that we know each other quite well.
He knows how to shock me, and how far to push, and he definitely makes sure no stone is unturned in our search for insight.
I have no influence on his prescribing behavior, nor would I ever want to have.
But somehow, he makes things appear clearer and helps me towards the most correct next steps, no matter how unpalatable.
So it was a good meeting.
And, of course, it is difficult not to draw comparisons with the meeting I had last week-a larger audience joined through common membership of the company, a shared interest in the asset, but divided by aspirations for the drug under discussion.
I did not know who all the presenters were, which was disconcerting.
A couple of players had direct impact on the program, but not all of them.
The rest of the presentations seemed to exist in the intercellular space between them.
The slides slipped by like dyslexia. I cut out before it finished.
I can remember a time when meetings were a vehicle for decision making.
Information was passed around to make sure everyone was up to speed on the issue beforehand; the decisions were taken and the meeting broke up; and we departed with a warm glow of unity and shared outcome.
Perhaps the challenge is that we hold meetings for information only when we should hold them for action.
Perhaps we hold so many meetings that I have become inured to them.
Perhaps the answer is to hold fewer meetings, so that there is some excitement and some expectation that things will be changed forever by the outcome.
I think I will send an email to my friend.
Maybe he should stop performing transplants and join the company.