How to Lead an Effective Meeting: Doctors Edition was written for the men and women who practice medicine. Today’s doctors must spend an enormous amount of time on meeting activities that are often not directly related to the clinical care of patients. Learning to lead effective meetings allows doctors to allocate more of their already scarce time to caring for patients– the primary reason they chose to practice medicine.

This book is a blueprint for how to have meetings work, defined as, meetings that achieve the results you want to achieve, both in the meeting and afterwards. It is divided into five principal sections: preparation, invitation, agenda, delivery, and follow up. The sections outline the five phases of a meeting. For a meeting to be successful, each phase matters and must be executed correctly. Throughout the book, multiple examples and anecdotes are used to highlight the salient points of each section. The anecdotes and examples are all based on similar real-life experiences of practicing physicians.

About the Authors

My co-author is Dr. Ron Blumoff, Executive Professor of Healthcare Management at the Jindal School of Management, University of Texas Dallas. A cum laude graduate of St. Louis University Medical School, he completed both general surgery residency and vascular surgery fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was the Womack Scholar in Surgery. Following active duty as Chief of Surgery at the US Air Force Hospital at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, Ron practiced clinical vascular surgery in San Antonio, Texas.  His diverse leadership experiences included Chief of Surgery, Chief of Staff, Chief of Surgical Services for the Methodist Hospital System and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Throughout his career he has balanced a variety of clinical, research, teaching, and administrative leadership roles with a busy vascular surgery practice.

To buy our book, click here.

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Ron Blumoff, MD and Dick Massimilian wrote this updated version of How to Lead and Effective Meeting (and get the results you want) to address the specific set of challenges physicians face. Doctors hone their skills in medicine but are also asked to possess organizational skills normally developed by those who operate in a corporate setting. Ron and Dick want to make life easier for physicians, who have to do more and more. This book is a step-by-step guide on how to plan and execute meetings in a way that drives results.

Why Productive Physician Meetings Are Important

Meeting quality matters. It directly correlates to an organization’s level of effectiveness. This applies to any industry. Meetings that start late, have no agenda, or have people rephrasing and repeating what is already being said are red flags that signify a poorly-run meeting. This leaves people frustrated and irritated. This is completely avoidable. Once you have the blueprint, implementing effective meeting practices becomes second nature. Productive physician meetings will no longer be a goal, but the norm.

What You Will Gain

These best practices can be used in both formal and informal settings. Everyone can benefit from this book. The organizational tips enhance you and your team’s ability to move through information and make decisions.

Take your meeting and presentation skills to the next level. Buy the book: https://www.rdmassimilian.com/buy-the-book/

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The Importance of Meetings

Dallas management consultant and author Dick Massimilian gives insight as to why meetings are important, and how too many fail because they’re unproductive or veer off track. Massimilian advises professionals to only call a meeting when multiple employees need to align themselves around an upcoming decision, and the process would consume too much time or prove too distracting if conducted any other way.

Demonstrating Mastery

Massimilian recommends that moderators consider all personality types in attendance and engage with each accordingly. “As Isabel Myers [who helped develop the Myers-Briggs personality test] said, ‘If you don’t know what an extrovert is thinking, you’re not listening, and if you don’t know what an introvert is thinking, you haven’t asked,’” he says.

Massimilian suggests ending meetings unambiguously, then completing the necessary follow-up.. “You should say, ‘Meeting adjourned.’ Literally,” he says. “If you had action items, circulate them [via] email so that everybody’s clear about what was accomplished. … It gives you a reference point if you want to have a subsequent meeting.”

Learn More

For more insight on how to lead effective meetings and get the results you want, check out Massimilian’s book “How to Lead an Effective Meeting” or watch a video summary of the book here.

To read the full article on the American Marketing Association website, click here.

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#hottakeoftheday Episode 69 with Dick Massimilian: Leadership Development

Dick Massimilian appeared as a guest on the #hottakeoftheday podcast in September of 2020. In the episode, Dick joined the podcast’s host David Ramsden-Wood to discuss building a team, how you assess fit, self-awareness, and what it is to be an executive coach. Watch the full episode below.

Dick Massimilian is a leadership architect, coaching individuals, teams and organizations across the world. To learn more about Dick’s experience, click here. To contact Dick, click here.

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Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Spring 2021

Senior executives, and in particular HR executives, are concerned with having the people in place – now and into the future – to ensure their organization can achieve its strategic objectives. No organization wins in the marketplace without top talent. As a result, executives are putting greater emphasis on bench strength succession planning.

Bench Strength and Succession Planning Challenges

As the competition for great people intensifies for a variety of reasons, savvy executives are devoting increasing attention to the challenges of attracting, hiring, developing and retaining great people. This leads to two separate but interrelated challenges.

Bench Strength

The first of these two challenges is bench strength. Do we have a robust list of people for every key role, in addition to the incumbent, who could assume that role immediately or on short notice? What happens if we need a sudden replacement? This is particularly true in industries such as High Tech, where people tend to change jobs relatively often.

Succession Planning

The second challenge is succession planning. How do we plan for the orderly transition of key executive leadership roles, so that those transitions are seamless and smooth? How do we reassure our stakeholders and Board of Directors that we have taken appropriate steps to minimize succession risk?

These issues frequently fall on the Human Resources Executive, the person most often accountable for both bench strength and succession. How does he or she approach the dual challenges of having people in place while developing those people to assume roles of increasing responsibility in the future? How does he or she implement a bench strength succession planning process that has successors ready to assume critical roles at the appropriate time?

Luckily, there is significant overlap in what to do to address both bench strength and succession planning. Based on many discussions I’ve had with senior human resource leaders over the last decade, here is a list of what most do to ensure they maximize the return on investment in their people and have their talent be a source of competitive advantage.

Start a Succession Planning list

Though it may sound obvious, companies have often not taken the time to consolidate their information and create a 1–2-page Succession Planning list. A simple succession planning matrix needs only five columns: Position, Incumbent, Potential Successor(s), Timing and Notes.  There is a tremendous benefit to having a one-page summary of key candidates, an “at-a-glance” compilation of the top talent. In large organizations, depending on how deep into the organization the formal succession plan reaches, the list is likely multiple pages. But it is ready and available at a moment’s notice should the CEO need to respond to a query from a Board member. Far better to have the summary list and not be asked for it, than to get a call from the CEO on a Thursday evening asking for such a list by tomorrow’s lunch with several directors.

Interview incumbents for their input on both bench strength and succession

Schedule time – preferably an hour or more – to meet in person with the current incumbent for each key role. The sole purpose of the meeting is to discuss bench strength and succession. Avoid tacking this conversation onto an existing meeting, as the tendency will be to rush through it. By its nature, this discussion needs to be unhurried and exploratory. Start with the obvious: who does he or she think is their likely successor(s) and why? Focus on the key strengths of the successor(s). Ask questions like:

• If you won the lottery and left the company, and we needed someone to move into your role tomorrow, could [name} do it?
• Who would you backfill [name]’s position with?
• Is there anyone in your division or even outside the company, in the industry, you have your eye on and would love to recruit?

Take your time. Tease out possibilities. Ask about people you know of personally. Don’t be reluctant to explore; this discussion is about possibilities.

Watch for a couple of red flags, such as “there’s no one,” the chief of these. If that’s the case, what’s the plan to get someone? If there’s no plan, that’s a problem. Another is the unwillingness to entertain alternatives to the incumbent’s chosen successor. The incumbent may be absolutely correct in his or her assessment of the best replacement. But that’s different from being willing to explore other possible candidates and the key competencies required to succeed in the role.

Interview peers for their input

Talk to peers of the incumbent and get their views about who might be a succession candidate. Often peers can provide surprising insight and identify candidates who might otherwise be overlooked. In one instance, a client of mine ultimately chose the successor to a senior sales executive from the ranks of the operations group. It was the first time such a cross-functional choice had been made in the company. The initial idea came from a peer interview like this, which brings us to the next tip:

Think creatively

Consider what competencies each position calls for that may be found in other areas of the company. Are there people who could make a lateral move, thereby increasing bench strength in a department in which it may be weak? Focus on highly talented, high potential, early-career talent. Great people are, by definition, versatile. You never know when a marketing manager may be open to a stint in operations. In other words, ask and you will likely be surprised.

Think long-term

In any discussion of bench strength succession planning, there is Ready Now. Then, there is ready in 1 – 2 years, 3 – 5 years, and even beyond five years. Make sure the very valid concern with having a successor for each role, now or in the near-term, does not drive an overly short-term focus on your part.

Drive alignment

Convene meetings to discuss bench strength and management succession with your leadership team. Align on who your key succession candidates are. These meetings can be challenging, in large part because of the enormous preparation that goes into making such a meeting successful. Often there is voluminous data that must be organized into succinct, easily understood modules. Because of this, these meetings are notoriously challenging to facilitate. Opinions may vary and be strongly held. Discussions on individual roles tend to exceed the time allotted. Finally, near-term, operational issues can easily creep into the dialogue. A smart facilitator appoints a timekeeper, pays close attention to time and manages the agenda tightly. For more information on how to lead an effective meeting, consider purchasing my book on the topic.

It is essential to ensure that these talent review meetings are distinct from performance reviews or bonus discussions. The emphasis here is on potential, and while it’s fair to assume that the latter is a prerequisite for the former, the two are distinct. Often an individual is an outstanding performer in a given role but for whatever reason is not suited for a role of increasing responsibility. Conversely, someone new to a role may struggle initially but possess the competencies and attributes that make him or her an ideal candidate for a larger role.

Building bench strength and succession planning are key to the success of any organization of any size. To talk about how I can help you with both in your company, contact me. I look forward to it.

All the best,

Dick

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Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Spring 2021

ESG (environmental, social and governance), says The Financial Times, is “a general term used by investors to evaluate corporate behavior and to determine future financial performance.” BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has predicted that in the near future, “all investors will be using ESG metrics to determine the value of a company.”

The “S” is particularly important to companies in which human capital—attracting, developing and retaining the best people—is a critical source of competitive advantage. Even if you have a rock-solid commitment to your leaders, how do you demonstrate that?

Invest in Leadership Development

One way is to invest in leadership development—visibly. Make long-term strategic investments that demonstrate real-time commitment to your people. As HBR noted in October 2020, “Positive employment impact (measured by, say, resources spent on employee training) sends investors a strong signal that management views employee expenditures as investments that lead to future profitability and not merely as expenses.”

In the Covid era, one choice is to pull back your investment in leadership. The other is to boldly invest in leadership development programs to help your people meet the challenges of these times.

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Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Spring 2021

Truly effective teams all possess the same foundational competency: commitment to a common purpose. These are teams in which corporate, team and individual purposes are aligned. Without a common purpose, teams are misaligned and inefficient. As such, the three key characteristics of an effective team relate back to this foundational competency.

Three Characteristics of an Effective Team

Effective Teams Articulate a Purpose

Effective teams have a clear purpose. In addition, there has to be a clear line of sight between the purpose of the team, the purpose of the organization and the purpose of the individual. When a team’s purpose is clearly articulated, team members are more productive and invested in achieving that purpose.

Effective Teams Understand the Link Between Roles and Purpose

One of the most important characteristics of an effective team is that individuals understand the link between their role as a team member and the purposes of the team and organization. Members of high-performing teams are aware of their responsibilities and how those responsibilities contribute to achieving the purposes of the team and organization. Clearly explaining this link ensures team members know what to aim for individually and collectively in order to achieve the intended purpose.

Effective Teams Practice Open Communication

Open communication is one of the key characteristics of an effective team because it keeps everyone on the path to project completion. Effective teams have communication plans in place to manage misalignment or road blocks. Teams that practice open communication are capable of addressing and solving problems quickly and efficiently. In addition, effective communication helps ensure everyone is on the same page and aligned on the purpose.

All of the above characteristics of an effective team center around maintaining alignment between corporate, team and individual purposes. Without this commitment to a common purpose, team effectiveness suffers.

Throughout the years, I’ve worked with teams of different sizes and industries. Moreover, my experience has given me a thorough understanding of the common characteristics of an effective team. If you’re interested in building a better team through my customized programs and assessments, get in touch with me today. I also speak to teams on what it takes to build effective teams that make better decisions together faster. To book me as a professional speaker for an upcoming event, click here.

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Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Spring 2021

We complain about meetings, but we attend more and more of them, online and in person. The problem isn’t meetings, it’s ineffective meetings in which nothing gets done. The first step in making your meetings work is to spot the signs of a bad meeting.

What are the signs of a bad meeting?

• The meeting starts late. If the meeting invitation has a start time of 9:00, start at 9:00.
• There is no agenda. Never call, schedule, lead, or, for that matter, attend a meeting without a clearly stated purpose. If you don’t know, ask, at the start of the meeting or in advance.
• The meeting runs over. Continuing past the scheduled end time without acknowledging it is unprofessional. Don’t do it.
• No one is sure what, if anything, was decided or accomplished. Revisit the meeting purpose and underline what has been accomplished.
• No one knows what the next steps are or who is supposed to follow up whom for what. Allocate time in the agenda to discuss next steps and action items at the end of the meeting.
• The same meeting to discuss the same topic seems to be held over and over again. If your meeting feels like déjà vu, ask yourself why.
• Discussions meander. Someone monopolizes the meeting. Someone else talks in circles, while yet someone else seems to simply rephrase what has already been said.

How to Lead an Effective Meeting (and get the results you want) is for people who need to lead effective meetings, in any context. It is a blueprint for getting results through meetings. Watch a video summary of the book below.

For an in-depth how-to guide on leading effective meetings, order How to Lead an Effective Meeting (and get the results you want) today. Click here to buy the book on Amazon.

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Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Winter 2020

Professional athletes train multiple times a day. They know that to perform at their peak, they need to train at their peak. Just as athletes need to train, executive leaders must build professional stamina, focus and concentration to perform at their peak.  Four tips to start:

Observe what you eat (and drink)

We all know the brain foods we should eat, like salmon, broccoli and blueberries. To what extent do you? Do not resolve to change anything, especially approaching the holiday season. Simply take note of what you’re eating, and you’ll make better choices naturally, with minimal effort. As for imbibing at those holiday parties, just keep a count. You’ll make more conscious choices if you do.

Get outdoors

Light affects people’s moods. Get as much natural light as you can. Walk the dog. Ditch the tunnels or skyways in favor of the sidewalks. As little as ten minutes per day will elevate your mood and boost your immune system. The earlier it gets dark where you live, the more attention you have to pay to getting outside.

Exercise

OK, you knew I was going to say it, so here it is. Take the stairs. Get on the stationary bike or the elliptical. Here, something is better than nothing, and don’t kid yourself, your choices over time will determine your level of professional stamina. If you can’t get to the gym several times a week, get there once or twice. Every bit helps.

Sleep

Even if you sleep the recommended number of hours, excessive screen time before bed, an irregular sleep schedules or other habits can cause shorter periods of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. If you’re not sleeping enough, start there. If you are, maximize your REM sleep. It stimulates the regions of the brain associated with learning and mental acuity.

The key here is to focus on a critical-few things and not strive for perfection. The point is to be self-aware and directionally correct. If you are, you will increase your professional stamina. And since the internal and the external, while distinct, are connected and reflect each other, that will help you both mentally and physically.

If you’re interested in learning about professional stamina or my leadership development programs, get in touch with me today.

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Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Fall 2020

When people that aren’t used to working together meet, when a collective decision needs to be made and time is of the essence or when there are undercurrents of friction in a group, Rules of the Road are a great idea. The fastest way to establish them is to:

• Propose and explain a succinct list
• Answer questions and request additions
• Ask people to signify they agree to the Rules by raising their hands

Here is a list that I’ve used with senior teams in technology, energy and financial services:

• Talk straight. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
• What is said here stays here.
• No meetings after the meeting.
• When the group aligns, all debate stops.
• Be willing to put the moose on the table.
• No bystanders.
• Speak now or forever hold your peace.

“Moose on the table” refers to an issue that everyone knows exists but no one will bring up. People are invariably aware of these issues, and if an issue is present in the “unspoken” in a meeting and not addressed, pretense overwhelms candor and the meeting is doomed. Based on my sense of a group, I will sometimes add, “be willing to find out that you are a moose.”

“No meetings after the meeting” refers to the phenomenon wherein someone is silent during a meeting then complains afterwards to someone rather than speaking up during the meeting itself.

“Speak now or forever hold your peace” is my favorite. It forestalls “Groundhog Day,” wherein a team revisits the same decision over and over again.

The additional rules people propose provide clues about the people’s concerns. What does it tell you when someone suggests, “criticize ideas, not people,” or “modulate your participation carefully – not too much, not too little,” or “be committed that this meeting make a real difference?” How about “turn off cellphones and computers” or “be comfortable getting it roughly right?”

Invest the time to establish Rules of the Road in your meeting. You’ll run a better meeting because of it.

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