Have you ever been in meetings where only you talk or where your presence was really not necessary? On one occasion, while working for an organization, we wanted to learn the status of our initiatives, identify problems in time, and act quickly. We had sessions with the leaders of each team, around 30 people, and there were so many projects that we needed three two-hour sessions to cover them all.

By the end of the sessions, the feeling was one of disconnection between what was discussed and reality. Participation was limited and the atmosphere was one of frustration. We rarely delved deep into the problems, making it difficult to generate concrete actions.

We paid more attention to the first teams or those with problems, while the rest had little time to participate or could not manage to do so. However, they had to stay for the entire session, and it was difficult to keep everyone's attention.

What do the meetings of our organization say?

On that occasion, I worked with my mentor, Ronald Sistek, who told me: "Meetings are a microcosm of how the organization operates". Nothing could be more real. For example, if the sessions are disorganized, decisions are not made, or there is no clear purpose, the organization is likely also disorganized, struggles to make decisions, or needs more direction and guidance.

We conducted a more detailed study on communication, and I want to share the main conclusions:

• Correct communication spaces: Normally, organizations mix strategic and operational communication in the same space, even though each requires specific approaches, priorities, timing, and dynamics.

• Effectiveness of the meeting: Often, the purpose of the session is not clear nor is it defined how each guest should participate. Meetings are repetitive, as the same topics are addressed in multiple spaces.

• Purpose and follow-up: Organizations often split into two groups: those that hold sessions without making decisions and those that, although they decide and create agreements, do not make clear who is responsible for executing them and following up.

• Active participation: In many organizations, hierarchy dominates; sessions only matter to the one who calls them, while the rest simply "connect". There are many attendees, but few are decision-makers, which limits participation and leaves voices unheard.

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How did we help solve the problem?

We took many actions, but I will share the three most important ones:

1. Optimize calendars: We mapped all sessions to identify and eliminate duplicates. We designed specific calendars for each type (strategic or operational), incorporating dedicated sessions to plan, work, communicate, and adding specific meetings to navigate tensions.

2. Design each session: We added descriptive names and defined clear objectives, answering the "what for?" of each session and what decisions need to be made. We specified the attendees, their roles, the modality and need for their presence, as well as the duration and frequency of the meetings. Additionally, we established the role of coordinator to orchestrate the session and assigned responsibilities for each agreement.

3. Create communication channels: We implemented dashboards to visualize information in real-time and established synchronous and asynchronous channels, with agreed response times for each. We prioritized face-to-face communication and complemented it with simple summaries. We also created a "Red Button" system for urgent situations that required immediate attention.

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These actions allowed us to free up the agenda by half and, little by little, move away from status sessions. With all the information available on the agreed platforms, we managed to fulfill the original purpose: to detect problems in projects in real time and communicate them through the appropriate channels.

Communication is the heart of organizations, but we often do not give it the attention it deserves. Solving its challenges is not easy; it requires effort and focus. I am interested in learning more about this topic. Can you tell me how you maintain good communication in your organization?