Death by Meeting – Patrick Lencioni
If you ever want to be in business in some point in your career, then this book is a must read. I already knew it would be good, having it recommended to me by my GPM, but I didn’t know how good it would be. From the moment I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down.
The point is, meetings are a waste of time, these days. And they are – you could be doing something else, you’re just reporting your status, and frankly, no one really pays much attention. But why are they like that and what can be done about it? Patrick Lencioni uses a fable to powerfully illustrate a simple and effective solution to this problem that haunts Corporate America.
Upon reading this book, it should become clear to you why meetings are critical in a company. There should be no doubt in your mind that successful companies have mastered the art of the meeting. Just as the tennis player trains for the Grand Slam, the golfer trains for the PGA tour, the leader must train for the meeting.
The meeting is where the most important conversations must happen – and where all the decisions need to be made. It is where people need to discuss, debate, and argue until there is a consensus made – similar to a jury trial. People’s needs and thoughts must be heard to avoid redundancy, overlap, and to hear great ideas.
Patrick Lencioni is the founder and president of a management consulting firm that specializes in executive team development and organizational health. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies – Microsoft being one of them.
In the end, it’s a fun and easy to read book that provides value. What more can you ask for?