Much debate continues to revolve around whether face-to-face meetings are a waste of productive time or not. I am 100 % NOT on the side of the debate which says that digital technology communication platforms (e.g. Skype) are an effective substitute for face-to-face meetings.

Why do I take this position ? 

Because increasingly these digital platforms are being used by particularly younger business people to hide behind – and not get in the faces of those who they really should be.

Digital platforms do not invoke the same – or even a similar – level of emotional exchange between two or people that meeting face-to-face does. There is nothing like being a round a Board table bringing issues to the fore, and being a part of the exchanges between those seated around the table. It is highly stimulating !

A proven set of practices for achieving effective face-to-face meetings is as follows:

  1. Make sure that a WRITTEN agenda has been prepared.
  2. Distribute written agendas well in advance of the scheduled meeting date – and emphasize the requirement for all attendees to contemplate the documented matters/ issues/ points in the agenda before the meeting commences.
  3. Require all attendees to bring written notes with them into the scheduled meeting, which address the agenda points – this will ensure greater momentum through the course of the meeting.
  4. The meeting Chairperson should be strong in their ability to quash politics, and effective at eliciting the contributions of all attendees. The Chairperson should also ensure that no one individual “steals the show”/ dominates discussion on a particular agenda item.
  5. When decisions are made, ensure that the name(s) of specific individuals who are responsible for implementing the agreed actions are identified in the minutes, along with the agreed time-frames for implementation to be completed within. This measure, more than any other, creates accountability.
  6. Record WRITTEN minutes of the proceedings of the meeting.
  7. Publish minutes to each of the attendees.

You are doing your organisation a disservice if you choose not to hold face-to-face meetings. Operationally, such meetings should happen between people who work in logically-related roles at least once per week. At a Governance level, face-to-face meetings between directors should happen no less frequently that every 2 months.