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Something to say? Say it during the meeting, not afterYou know the scenario: You’re at a meeting of the senior leadership team and there are critical decisions on the table. A discussion ensues, the CEO states his point of view and everyone agrees with him. Or someone raises a concern and no one pays much attention. It’s not until later, around the water cooler or in whispered conversations in the hallway, that the real discussion occurs. That’s the “meeting after the meeting,” and it’s where people say what they actually think. In every executive education class I teach, I see nods of recognition when I describe this scenario. At the meeting after the meeting, people tell the truth. They say what they should have said in the formal meeting, whether it’s to disagree with a proposal, state a novel approach or confront an ethical dilemma. Even when it’s difficult, leaders need to “speak the unspeakable.” I have observed again and again that successful companies deal with their problems openly and honestly. The companies that come up short pretend the problems don’t exist—or at least that’s what they do when they’re in the meeting room. 
At NetApp, perennially one of Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For,” senior leaders believe in confronting problems head on. According to Vice Chairman Tom Mendoza, “If you have something to say, say it in the meeting. The only unacceptable behavior is to leave a meeting and then talk about what you heard in the meeting.” NetApp’s leaders rate their own candor after meetings, and discuss what they can do to improve the rating at their next meeting. At Exelon, signs on the conference room wall remind attendees to have the “meeting after the meeting at the meeting.” Both companies recognize the importance of getting ideas, problems and concerns on the table so they can be addressed head on. Below are five steps you can take to end water cooler conversations and bring the conversations back into the room: 1) Bring up “unspeakable” subjects yourself. 2) Publicly thank those who raise difficult issues or unpopular opinions. 3) Give people permission to communicate bad news. 4) Assess your own candor after each meeting, and ask others to assess theirs. 5) Model the behavior you want to encourage; refuse to participate in “meetings after the meeting.” |
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