Three reasons to run regular same-page meetings
Meetings: love them or hate them?
While some view meetings as colossal time-wasters, most people inherently understand the benefits of setting a dedicated time and space to talk things out.
In the Entrepreneurial Operating System®, the EOS® Level 10 Meeting has the right strategies to solve many of the problems with meetings. Our clients credit the L10 Meeting for helping them connect to the company’s vision, achieve their goals, and build healthy teams that communicate openly and honestly.
However, there’s another meeting that may be the unsung hero of company get-togethers. That’s the Same Page Meeting, and it’s crucial for alignment at the top of your organization.
What is a Same Page Meeting?
A Same Page Meeting is a 1:1 meeting held between two key team members who need to align their thoughts and actions, both with one another and with the larger mission of the company.
This meeting was designed for the Visionary and Integrator of the company (if you don’t have an Integrator, it’s usually your second-in-command, such as a COO or Chief of staff).
The Same Page Meeting differs from the L10 in that it’s only between two people. In the book Rocket Fuel, the authors recommend scheduling a 2-4 hour offsite at least once a month. In a virtual world, Same Page Meetings could be shorter but more frequent, especially if they’re a key communication channel for the Visionary and Integrator.
Who else needs a Same Page Meeting?
- Department heads who collaborate (e.g., Sales and Operations)
- Manager and direct reports (e.g., Integrator and each Department Head)
- Your clients (use these meetings to set expectations and check in on delivery)
Same Page Meeting Agenda
The meeting has a simple agenda:
--Check-in
--Create the list of Issues
--Identify, Discuss, and Solve (IDS™) Issues
Based on what comes to the table, a Same Page Meeting may be a straightforward checklist of items to review; it may be a deeper conversation about core company issues; or it may focus on interpersonal conflict or communication between the two team members themselves.
Why Are Same Page Meetings So Great?
Even if the Visionary and Integrator talk all the time, having clear, dedicated time to connect is different than dealing with daily questions and concerns.
I’ve incorporated Same Page Meetings in my own business with my Integrator and encourage my clients to do it, too. I've seen amazing results.
Key benefits of Same Page Meetings:
Outside of group dynamic. Conversations change with multiple people in the room. If you bring Same Page issues into an L10 Meeting, you may end up making decisions “by committee” that should really be owned by the Visionary and Integrator.
More open and honest communication. There’s opportunity to share personal feelings or have frank conversations about team members. Use this time to work out personal conflicts, which will arise in close working relationships. Process anything you’re not 100% clear on.
Chance to hash out disagreements without undermining authority. The Visionary and Integrator don’t always have to agree, but they do need to get aligned quickly, or it can diminish team morale. Same Page Meetings offer a space to disagree before ultimately coming to a resolution.
Efficient. Assuming they follow good meeting practices, they can be short and to the point. You don’t need to waste other team members’ time on issues they aren’t involved in.
Build relationships. Stick to some type of regular rhythm, and use that time to communicate with one another, even if the major business issues have been addressed. Same Page Meetings are a great way to develop a personal relationship and learn more about each other.
Run Your Own Same Page Meeting
Two next steps you can take today:
(1) If you’re a Visionary or Integrator, set up a Same Page Meeting with your counterpart.
(2) Start a list of non-urgent questions, comments, issues, for discussion during the meeting. Maintain that list on an ongoing basis and review every time you get together.
If you’d like to learn more about Same Page Meetings or any other EOS tools, contact us to speak with one of our consultants.
