Lesson 3: Run meetings that activate people | Edward Norton

Meetings get a lot of flak. They can disrupt our days and stop us from getting into deep work. But instead of eliminating them altogether, filmmaker and entrepreneur Edward Norton wants to make sure they’re worth the interruption. In this video lesson, he explains how to design meetings so that you hit the ground running and leave people feeling engaged and energized. People dislike meetings that make them stop executing a job and start reporting on it. Make your meetings forward-looking, not rearward-looking. Before the meeting, send people the slide deck so they can pre-read it, ask questions, and vote. During the meeting, talk about what worries you, what excites you, and what you need help with. At the end of the meeting, ask each person: What action item are you committed to? This creates a sense of positive reciprocity. © Freethink Media Inc., All Rights Reserved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Edward Norton Edward Norton is an actor, director and philanthropist. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards, for Best Supporting Actor in "Primal Fear" and "Birdman", as well as Best Actor in "American History X." His other notable films include "Fight Club" (1999), "25th Hour" (2002), "The Incredible Hulk" (2008) and "Keeping the Faith" (2000), which he also directed. Norton is also known for his work on environmental and social issues like renewable energy and low-income housing. In May 2010, Norton co-founded the website Crowdrise, an online platform that harnesses the power of social networks for charities.