20 Sep The Other K.I.S.S. Principle
You can say a lot in 60 seconds and absolutely nothing in 60 minutes. Don’t believe me? Time yourself talking for 60 seconds. Then try to fill an hour doing the same.
I started off my media career at a small radio station in Brownwood, Texas. My first job was running the board during sporting events and live church services. Then I got what I thought was the break of a lifetime when I was asked to record a 30-second commercial. Upon first look at the script I was thinking, “there is no way I can say all of that in 30 seconds.”
Later I got a job as a deejay at a country station. I learned quickly that you can say a lot in a short period of time. Give the weather, current temperature, time, and the next artist, all in the intro of a song.
The meeting lasted an hour, and everyone dreaded the gathering. You could see the look on people’s faces when walking to the conference room.
But I have also worked for a company that required a weekly meeting every Friday. The meeting lasted an hour, and everyone dreaded the gathering. You could see the look on people’s faces when walking to the conference room. The leadership offered food, but that didn’t matter. The staff had work they needed to finish and there was a lot to get done before the weekend.
When should you meet with your team and how often should you meet? This has been debated for some time, but the rules are changing. Since 2007 more and more companies have downsized and given their staff multiple jobs. The pandemic has only added to the stress of the workforce, trying to keep things open at work while also trying to keep families healthy at home.
The Great Resignation has led to more than 11 million people leaving their current job. While there are many factors behind these numbers, stress and burnout are two of the leading causes.
Instead of an hour-long meeting, why not a short 15-minute meeting? Or take the time to let your staff interact when you get together. And keep the meeting on time. I am a big believer in starting and finishing the meeting at the posted time. On a rare occasion I will allow a meeting to run long if I feel the team is discussing an important issue, but most often I will ask a couple of people involved in a more specific topic to take the discussion offline.
Also, stick to an outline. I always write an outline for all my meetings, but I don’t always publish my outline. This helps you stay within your timeframe and keep your thoughts focused. Remember, you can say a lot in 60 seconds and nothing at all in 60 minutes.
Scott Miller is the CEO of Centerpost Media and host of the Create, Build and Manage Radio Show and Podcast. You can find Scott on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter via “@scottmillerceo.” Centerpost Media is a marketing agency with a vision to help every business they encounter with their media needs by providing outstanding quality, service and value. Centerpost Media is the parent company to BizTV, BizTalkRadio, BizTalkPodcasts and Bizvod.