{"id":23817,"date":"2015-03-24T15:18:00","date_gmt":"2015-03-24T15:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kepner-tregoe.com\/streamline-your-decision-making-meetings-to-stop-wasting-valuable-time\/"},"modified":"2025-10-24T09:31:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T09:31:02","slug":"streamline-your-decision-making-meetings-to-stop-wasting-valuable-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kepner-tregoe.com\/nl\/blogs\/streamline-your-decision-making-meetings-to-stop-wasting-valuable-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Streamline your Decision Making Meetings to Stop Wasting Valuable Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People make decisions when they need a change to promote their goals, both operational and strategic. Michael Mankins in his article, Stop \u00a0Wasting Valuable Time<\/em>, published in the HBR in 2004<\/a>, and re-issued as part of the HBR LinkedIn discussion, \u201cMost executive teams are terrible at managing their time,\u201d suggests seven guidelines to improve senior management decision-making meetings: meetings that are consumed by low value rather than critical issues; meetings devoted to circular discussions rather than decision making; decisions based on limited information and not enough alternatives. Whether or not you are a senior manager, the same guidelines can help you and your teams to be more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.\u00a0 Adopt common decision-making processes and standards.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Per Mankins: \u201c\u2026companies with superior decision-making capabilities use a common language, methodology, and set of standards for making decisions. This lets them address many issues at once\u2014often outside the team meetings. Individual decisions may not be made any faster in this way, but the team will be able to reach many more decisions each year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.\u00a0 Deal with operations separately from strategy.<\/span><\/strong>
\nEffective meetings begin with an agreed purpose and a scope. We need to identify the theme<\/em> of the meeting to set boundaries for the discussion. This allows the meeting sponsor to choose whom to invite, how much time to allocate, and the best approach to advance issue resolution. Holding a meeting without setting a clear theme is an invitation to distractions and scope creep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Measure the real value of every item on the agenda.<\/span><\/strong>
\nToo often there are more items on a meeting agenda than can be effectively addressed. We need to use evidence and logic to set priority<\/em> and establish the order for resolution. There are three elements to consider when setting priority: current impact<\/em> (how big is the issue today?); future impact<\/em> (how big will the issue be if not addressed?); and timeframe<\/em> (when will resolution become too difficult, expensive, impossible, or meaningless?). A balanced consideration of these elements limits time spent on low-value issues, which can either be addressed at another time or delegated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Get items off the agenda as quickly as possible.<\/span><\/strong>
\nNot all issues can be effectively resolved in a single discussion, particularly if needed information is not present. Deliberations in the absence of information are rarely effective. When we lack sufficient information to reach conclusions, we need to plan next steps<\/em>\u2014the work needed to advance resolution and to plan involvement<\/em>\u2014assign responsibility and schedule the work. Recognizing when additional information is needed supports better use of meeting time and more effective issue resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Focus on decisions, not on discussions.<\/span><\/strong>
\nFocused discussions support effective decisions; using a common language and approach enables us to focus discussions. To ensure necessary information is the focus of the discussion, effective decision makers clarify purpose<\/em>\u2014agree on criteria; evaluate alternatives<\/em>\u2014compare performance of alternatives against the criteria; and assess risk<\/em>\u2014consider the potential risks of the best alternative. As discussed above, limit time spent discussing what you don\u2019t know and close knowledge gaps between meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Put real choices on the table.<\/span><\/strong>
\nPer Mankins, \u201cmanagement can\u2019t make choices if it doesn\u2019t have real alternatives;\u201d he recommends having at least three. Before we can compare alternatives<\/em> we need to generate alternatives<\/em>\u2014identify or create possible choices. Because this can be a creative exercise, generating alternatives <\/em>should be separated from the analytic exercise of comparing alternatives<\/em>, to allow for the free flow of new ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Make decisions stick.<\/span><\/strong>
\nFor our decisions to be effective in advancing strategic and operational goals, the organizational culture must support effective decision-making. People need sufficient time and resources to make and implement decisions. Organizations need to monitor the efficacy of decision-making and reward those whose decisions measurably advance operational and strategic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a common language and process to support effective decision-making is a not new idea. But when people are confronted with complex issues, it is often a challenge to determine how to get started. Fortunately, those familiar with KT Clear Thinking processes have the answers on their cards and can follow a tried-and-true, structured process that supports efficient meetings and superior decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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