{"id":1186,"date":"2012-11-15T04:06:54","date_gmt":"2012-11-15T09:06:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/facilitativeleadership.wordpress.com\/?p=1186"},"modified":"2026-05-01T15:23:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:23:38","slug":"indirect-meeting-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/indirect-meeting-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Indirect Meeting Costs and Other Challenges You Can Overcome"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meetings<\/a> are frequently a fix for poor leadership. Most would rather go to a movie than sit in a two-hour meeting. Almost all\u00a0poor movies at least contain a beginning, middle, and end. Indirect meeting costs represent a huge area for cost control and improved return on investment.<\/h2>\n

Meetings are very expensive. Today\u2019s business world is asymmetric, and holding meetings to share information may be\u00a0a poor use of precious resources. Dashboard devices provide a better means for information updates than staff meetings. The Scrum approach addresses three questions during daily Scrums, but participants frequently remain standing so that meetings adjourn quickly:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What has been accomplished since we last met?<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. What accomplishments are targeted\u00a0next?<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Which challenges require additional support?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"Indirect

    Indirect Meeting Costs and Challenges<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

    The best reason to pull people together is to build something that we cannot do apart, to arrive at consensus, to decide on something. Consider replacing weekly meetings with periodic workshops,\u00a0knowing that the use of facilitators greatly improves productivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Role of Meetings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    We\u00a0live in a meeting society. Along with billions of people, our world also contains more than 200 nation-states, 4 million local communities, 20 million economic organizations, 200 million extended families, and hundreds of millions of other formal and informal groups. In order for groups to exist, individuals that make up these groups must meet and interact.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Current Trends<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The increased growth in the number and length of meetings is due to the accelerated rate of change that now rules today’s business environment. The rapid and constant change in technology, particularly information technology and business process management, has dramatically increased the volatility of the global marketplace. As technology takes over more routine functions and allows faster access to data, managerial skills shift, calling for increased communication clarity and small group skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Flatter Structures<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Another trend emerging as a result of an accelerated environment is the growth of more efficient and flatter organizational structures. These organizations have fewer management layers and, therefore fewer levels of decision-making. Flatter structures result in more group decision-making by specialists from disparate areas within the organization. Consequently, the ability to effectively communicate cross-functional support\u00a0in meetings has taken on increased importance.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Participative \u2028Management<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    A by-product of replacing hierarchy with holarchy is an increasing emphasis on participative employee ownership.\u00a0Participative management bases itself on the following premises:<\/span><\/p>\n