Spend 15 minutes. Be a hero.

Want to be a leader in your organization? Prepare for, and follow up on, meetings. Seriously, it's the easiest way to shine. You'd be surprised how little time it takes and how few people actually do it, but that's to your advantage.

I get it. We've all been there. Rushing from meeting to meeting, looking like an overstuffed, hastily packed briefcase. You sit down two-minutes late and scan the room, trying to discern the meeting topic without asking, "What is this meeting about?". You find a blank page in your note book, while simultaneously checking your phone for the meeting title. As your brain orients itself to the new topic, your stress subsides. The next few moments are spent finding some rhythm. Phew you made it.

No, not quite. Without the benefit of forethought, your contributions over the next 45 minutes are spontaneous thoughts, half-baked questions, and reactions to the conversation. You may think you are offering fresh perspectives, when in fact your "truth-bombs" are some combination of unhelpful and off-topic. Meanwhile, phrases like "lets table that for later" are flying around rather frequently. You have come unprepared.

We've all been here too, as meeting chair, you get that "oh-no" feeling, when the discussion takes a sharp turn we didn't anticipate. When someone introduces a topic that, while technically work-related, was so out-of-scope it might as well have been a passionate defense of pineapple on pizza, or just a really long story about their cat. Suddenly, you're mentally scrambling, trying to figure out if this is a learning opportunity, a cry for help, or just plain madness. Fifteen minutes later, you're still nodding politely while, desperately trying to herd the conversation back to something of value. And while this is happening you can't help but wonder: how much is this sweet vs salty feline tangent costing? $500/hour? $1,000/hour? $2,000/hour? You have failed to prepare.

Despite the lost productivity, frustrating conversations, and the creep of the "not another meeting" attitude, many meetings are organized or attended by individuals who do not prepare. We all have incredible demands for our time, but I promise fifteen minutes spent before a meeting will save you double or triple that later, and it will harness all the groups potential. This has been so effective for me, that I often schedule meeting prep time directly into my calendar.

This is not representative (I hope) of formal board meetings or meticulously crafted presentations since those require significant preparation. I'm referring to the everyday meetings that make up the bulk of our work lives – the team check-ins, the project updates, or the one-on-ones with your manager. These are the meetings where a little preparation goes a long way.

If you dedicated fifteen minutes to your meetings, I think you'll see the competitive advantage and save time in the long run. Here are some ideas that work for me.

1. Read the Agenda & Do Research:  No, I'm not kidding. Read the agenda. What are the key topics to be discussed? What are the desired outcomes of the meeting? How do they relate to your area? Based on the agenda, spend a few minutes doing some quick research. If the meeting is about a specific project, review recent progress. If it's a meeting to discuss a problem, quickly research best practices. This will not only arm you with relative information, but it will flood your mind with topical and considerate questions.

   
   

2. Use Resources and Find Allies: Do you have a dog in the fight? What do you want to achieve? Are you advocating for one decision or another? Are you on the fence about how to solve a problem? Are you unsure of the appropriateness of a talking point? Talk to other attendees or the chair to get their opinion in advance. Perhaps you can share a perspective that changes their mind. Even more important, maybe someone will share information that changes your mind.

   
   

   This used to be conveniently accomplished at the "water cooler" in-person, but it has become more difficult with remote and hybrid work models. So go ahead and book that fifteen minute virtual meeting with your colleague.

   
   

3. State an Objective, Provide an Agenda (always): I kid you not, I get a thrill and buzz of walking out of a really well run meeting. As the meeting chair, if you spend fifteen minutes creating an agenda and objective, you are half way to a high performing meeting. The mighty objective + agenda combo holds all power over the discussion. When the group gets off topic, the objective is the compass that guides it back. If there is a long tangent, the agenda is a polite and firm reminder to move along. With an objective and agenda, watch participation surge from your analytical colleagues who have time to think on a topic in advance.

   
   

4. Summarize and Send Action Items: I will admit, I am not a fan of overly detailed meeting minutes. They seem redundant to me. However, I am extremely passionate about a short summary and clear action items. Together with the meeting title, a summary and action item list systematically define the problem, the potential solutions, the decision, who is taking action, and when.

   
   

5. Follow Up: Brace yourself for this two-part finale.

   
   

   First, like point number one, audaciously, I'm recommending you read the meeting summary and action items when they come out. I know, how dare I. But hear me out. Despite best intentions, everyone is wired to record what is important to them. If something meaningful is missing, speak up and make sure it is included. This is your influence at work.

   
   

   Second, you and everyone else, has made the commitment to take action to improve. No matter how big or small, keep your commitments and meet the deadlines. This is the fastest way to shape your reputation - for better or for worse.

The benefits of these fifteen minutes are immense. As the attendee you'll feel more confident, you'll be able to contribute more effectively, and you'll make a positive impression on your colleagues. You'll be the person who always seems to have the right information at their fingertips and insightful questions. As the organizer you will get value from the group, increased participation, higher quality comments, and more progress toward the solution.

In short, you'll look like a superstar. So, the next time you have a meeting on your calendar, take a few minutes to prepare. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes.