Time to Transform Your Meetings #1

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What if the focus of this podcast were: How to make your meetings amazing again! (or for the first time?)

…the most important thing that every leader should be asking: What is at the heart of the matter? (purpose) … Why should this meeting even happen?

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By Olivia Bretzman with Craig Neal 

We love Dan Pink, HOWEVER,...

In “Pinkcast 3.06, This is how to make your meetings less awful” Dan Pink invites author Steven Rogelberg to offer his philosophy on how to create better meetings in three simple steps Separation, Standing & Shrink.

We respectfully beg to differ... What if the focus of this podcast were: How to make your meetings amazing again! (or for the first time?)

Dan and Steven start with the premise that meetings suck, and as Pink stated, “I hate meetings!” OK, but why? If there are 55 mIllion meetings per day in the US alone and so many of us spend our lives in meetings, how ‘bout we focus on creating meetings that are fun, productive and transformative from the get-go?   

They offer 3 good techniques for consideration, but interestingly enough, none consider the most important thing that every leader should be asking: what is at the heart of the matter? What is the purpose of the meeting or gathering? 

We invite you to consider a different kind of leadership: one that “designs” for engagement, and thinks about all the steps to aligned, committed action.

In our book, The Art of Convening we offer 9 Steps to authentic engagement in meetings, gatherings and even conversations. Here are some key questions that could move your meetings from resignation to total commitment.  

1. Start with Purpose: what’s at the heart of the matter for the meeting? for you as a leader?

2. What is your intent as the convener of the meeting?

3. Who is coming and what’s in for them?

4. What are the agreed upon norms and protocols?

5. How is everyone’s voice heard and respected?

6. Have you created an atmosphere of trust and safety to speak the truth?

7. What’s new that has been created that can be harvested?

8. Is everyone committed to a common way forward?

One idea that stands out to us is the shrinking technique: placing pressure on one’s team to get a project done in “creative” ways. In our pressure-filled society, the last thing a leader should try to create for their colleagues is unneeded stress. Design to create the conditions for aligned and committed action. 

Your meeting might take 48 minutes or 60 minutes or less--the intent and design tell what is REALLY needed for all to participate and contribute, not an artificial construct applied top-down.

Thanks Daniel for the opportunity to get our design “juices” going and share.

To learn more about transforming your meetings, gatherings and conversations, check out The Art of Convening Trainings or the book (below).

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