The Mullet Method.

How often are you in a meeting where the pleasantries take up more than the business agenda?  Have you walked away knowing more about your direct report’s kids than their work priorities and challenges?  Do you feel compelled to start every email with an exaggerated introductory pleasantry?  Enter The Mullet Method.

What if we flip the script?  Business in front, party in the back when it comes to meetings and emails.  Yes, I want to know about your weekend plans, but in the last few minutes of our conversation; timeboxed to allow us to first tackle the business agenda.  

Particularly for newer managers and meeting leaders that are less experienced, business in the front is more direct and respectful of participants’ time.  You value the productivity of the meeting, starting and ending on time, and making it ‘time well spent’ for all in attendance.  

The concern I often hear it that it makes you less connected and too work-focused.  I’m not suggesting you don’t ask about weekend plans or how your colleague’s marathon training is going.  Instead, if too much time is spent on the personal, leaving too little for the business or it becomes a rabbit hole that detracts from the business at hand, try the Mullet Method. 

“We have a lot to cover on the agenda, let’s dive in.” and ask for the personal updates in the last few minutes.  You are just changing the order to better serve productivity.

Email?  Same.  

In her LinkedIn post on email best practices, Missy Voronyak lays out how to write an effective email.  Start with the ask or the call-to-action and be mindful of the timing of the message.  Be clear, concise and direct.  All of Missy’s tips support the Mullet Method:  business in the front, party in the back.    

Let’s embrace the resurgence of the mullet and apply its spectacular fashion sense to our best business practices.