Before You Say, "Let's Go Around the Room…"

It's Monday morning. Your team gathers for the weekly meeting.

You look around and say something you've probably said a hundred times.
“Let's go around the room and get updates.”
And off you go.

One person shares what they've been working on. Someone else gives a project update. A few people ask questions. Someone brings up an issue that takes the conversation in a different direction.

Forty-five minutes later, everyone heads back to work.
Another meeting done.
But was it worth everyone's time?

I hear leaders complain about meetings all the time. Too many. Too long. Too much time spent talking instead of getting work done.

And there's plenty of advice out there.
Create better agendas. Invite fewer people. Send updates by email. Cut meetings to 30 minutes.

Some of that might help.
But I wonder if we're overlooking something simpler.

What if the problem isn't how we're organizing our meetings, but that we're running them on autopilot?

We meet because it's on the calendar. We follow the same format because it's what we've always done.

And without realizing it, the meeting becomes a series of one-on-one updates with the leader while everyone else listens (or doesn't).

Here's something I encourage leaders to consider before their next meeting: What conversation would make this time together worthwhile?

Maybe your team has been struggling with communication between the home office and the field.

Imagine sending a one-line email before the meeting:
“Come ready to share your best idea for improving communication between the home office and the field.”

Or maybe your team is juggling too many priorities.

You could open with:
“We've got a lot on our plates right now. What do we need to put on the back burner so we can focus on what matters most?”

Now you've given people something worth thinking about together.
They're not simply reporting to you.
They're listening to each other, sharing perspectives, and helping shape what happens next.

And you didn't need to spend an hour preparing an elaborate agenda to make that happen. You just needed to get intentional.

Of course, sometimes updates are exactly what's needed. There's nothing wrong with going around the room when it serves a purpose. But there's a difference between choosing that conversation and defaulting to it.

The value of a meeting isn't how much information gets shared. It's what becomes possible because people are thinking together.

And sometimes changing the dance is as simple as changing the question you ask before it begins.

Your coach,
Stacey

Hey, Leader: Before your next meeting, take a minute to ask yourself: What conversation would make this time together worthwhile? Then try starting there instead of automatically going around the room.