The Art of Client Service

Chapter 14Run a Meeting

You might think this is an easy part, running a meeting, but then you quickly become acquainted with chaos.

Meetings that start late, with people who don't show up, people who show up but spend more time with their iPhones than with their colleagues. Meetings with too many people, too few people, or not the right people. Meetings without an agenda. Meetings with an agenda but no outcome. Meetings with an outcome but no follow-up. Meetings that devolve into shouting matches. Too many meetings.

I could go on. Meetings are a staple of business—including the advertising and marketing business, in which collaboration is key—but they are notoriously screwed up.

You can fix this, or at least give it a shot, by adhering to the five enormously simple, all-too-obvious suggestions that follow.

Start on time; end on time: Does anyone in advertising pay attention to this simple rule? I doubt it. Okay, with client meetings, agencies certainly try to be punctual. But then the clients often keep the agency waiting. If the problem is chronic with your clients, you have two options: (1) put up with it, or (2) gently, very gently, remind them they are paying for all those people cooling their heels in the conference room.

With internal meetings at the agency, everyone usually keeps everyone else waiting. You can do something about it, however. If it's your meeting, start ...