Part 7. Using a Mullet Meetings approach to improve meetings.
In true Mullet Meeting fashion, you have an agenda that people gladly contribute to, people turn up engaged and focused, and the meeting runs smoothly and finishes on time. But what haven’t you done? Assigned accountability.
Issue 7: Not assigning accountability
You’re leaving things open-ended. You have talked about what needs to be done but not named who will do it by when. Why?
It feels awkward or confrontational
You want people to like you and don’t want to place a burden on their shoulders. But ambiguity is a burden everyone ends up carrying.
Clarifying who is responsible is a kindness for everyone in the room, including the person who is assigned the action.
You’re not clear on what needs to be done
In that case, the action remains yours. You need to get clear on what needs to happen. Ask for ideas. Until you have that you can’t assign accountability.
You’re not clear who should do what
Ask who is best positioned to take this. Then be quiet and let silence create tension.
If you find the same people putting up their hands, you might want to look at performance across your team. Who’s ducking responsibility? Who’s overcompensating for others?
If you’re still not clear, it’s not the actions you need to work on, it’s roles and responsibilities.
Great, so now everyone is clear on who needs to do what. But is it all talk, no action, or will they follow through? That’s next.
P.S. To avoid push back when delegating, introverts may take in too much themselves.
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