For people who still think meetings are toxic, courtesy of perhaps 37 Signal's
Getting Real (it's now 3 years old but still relevant) or the various productivity gurus on
lifehacker.com, I have a suggestion.
Just don't call it a meeting. Call it a workshop.
'Meetings' suggest a jawing session where there are some great anecdotes, maybe some shared diuretics and a bit of a laugh, before a few issues are 'explored'. We learn a little about each other. It's a nice journey of discovery. But the notes are brutal.
A 'Workshop' is a term of industry. Things are built during a workshop. Decisions are made. Ideas are sketched out, considered, discussed, and next steps decided. In short, progress is made and momentum is generated.
So the next time you call one, choose your language carefully. It affects the mindset of your attendees and what they are prepared to get done.
You can still have the coffee.
