Meetings occupy our days and sometimes weeks. Some meetings are necessa-ry, while others are wasteful and ineffective. Here is a simple guide on when you should have a meeting, how to make the meeting a sincere dialogue, and how to get the most out of your meetings.
Every day and week we attend meetings for staff related issues, planning, root cause, production, management review, and for many other business reasons. Some people spend more time in meetings than in performing their regular du- ties and responsibilities. Which in turn causes many to work overtime (without pay) to catch up on business communications, organize the in-basket, answe- ring and placing routine memos and calls, and producing reports of their activi- ties. An every business person spends a majority of time handling process or support related activities, instead of creating new opportunities for the compa-ny. This article will deal with some reasons for having meetings and how get the most out of meetings.
When are meetings necessary and when could information be communicate differently?
There are times when meetings are not necessary. If there is a purpose for a meeting, then a meeting should be scheduled. However, before scheduling a meeting, you may want to ask yourself whether this information is better communicated with a memorandum, report, e-mail, video-conference, or taped message instead of arranging for a meeting. Is having a meeting the best way to communicate the information to the intended parties. If so, arrange for the meeting, and ensure that it is structured as a dialogue for optimum team lear- ning.
How to structure a dialogue for team learning.
The premise for most meetings should be the furtherance of team learning. Some meetings are not structured for a learning experience. If the purpose of the meeting is for team learning, it can best be experienced through a dialo- gue. A dialogue is different mode of communication than a discussion or a talk, which often are one-way communication or win-lose proposition. In a dialogue, because of its synergistic approach (the whole organizes the parts) participants share a common meaning. This win-win relationship is often called group- think, but it goes beyond this concept. Dialogue means "through common mea-ning." As, Bohm contends, in this arrangement, individuals are participating in this pool of common meaning. In dialogue, people then become aware (obser- vers) of their own thinking, its collective effect on the whole, which is capable of constant development and change. And the thought emanating from this ac-tivity becomes coherent (which essence has a sense of order, harmony, beau- ty). Bohm identifies three basic conditions that are necessary for dialogue:
all participants must suspend their assumptions, literally to hold them together as if suspended before us;
all participants must regard one another as colleagues;
there must be a facilitator who holds the context of the dialogue. (The Fifth Discipline, Senge, 243)
These conditions allows a free flow of meaning to circulate the entire group, by the diminishing of resistance to the flow.
Participants suspend their assumptions by being aware of their assumptions and holding them up for examinations. Opinions could be subjective, but they cannot be defended or suppressed. The team must be disciplined to allow this free flow of shared meaning. Stereotypes and negative mental models should be abandoned. Participants will listen without forming opinions. Analyze the thought process and the results. Each participant must ensure open-minded- ness, without bias or preconceived ideas.
Dialogue can only occur when a group of people see each other as colleagues in the mutual quest for deeper insight and clarity of the inquiry. Seeing each other as colleagues and friends makes for a positive, nourishing environment. Every one in the dialogue is equal, and there are no adversarial relationships allowed. People should leave their position at the door, and no hierarchy can be present in the meeting, except, of course for the facilitator. Fear and judg- ment must be replaced with love, understanding, and appreciation for differen-ce. No opinion is stupid, but should be evaluate in the context of dialogue. Spi- rit of inquiry would allow participants to explore the thinking behind their views. Views must be substantiated by fact or opinion put on the board for fur-ther evaluation.
The facilitator should be a good process facilitator capable of helping people maintain the ownership of the process and the outcome. This person is res- ponsible for guiding and influencing the flow of development by looking at all sides of the observation made by a participant.
Guidelines we have found that contribute to effective meetings.
Here are a few guidelines that we have found makes meetings effective.
Clearly Communicated and Distributed Agenda - Purpose of the meeting. Once you have determined that a physical meeting is necessary either at a location or via teleconference, you must determine what the purpose of the meeting is, who should attend and put together the agenda, with or without the input from the participants. A meeting location should be confirmed and booked, refreshments and food ordered, participants contacted well ahead of schedule, presenter given enough time to prepare presentation. Solicit input for the structure of the meeting from presenters and others, if necessary. If there is a need for participants to teleconference, a bridge and time should be booked. This agenda should be sent well ahead of schedule (possibly in form of a memorandum) to all participants. A day before the meeting, send a reminder. Bring extra copies of the meeting agenda to the meeting. The agenda should detail:
Date and starting time and ending time
Meeting location (map included, if necessary)
List of participants and presenters.
Subjects covered so participants can review and bring material to the meeting for discussion.
Time limit for presentations or topics so speakers are motivated to present their specific points.
Ensure that the meeting is a dialogue and not a discussion (if it is not merely a presentation). Meetings should not be confused with presentations, manage- ment update, forums, and other one-way communication activities. To get the most out of meetings, ensure that the meetings are held in a dialogue mode, with other guidelines added for success. If participants of the meeting are not educated in the dialogue
Assign a Scribe. As the meeting coordinator or owner of the meeting and its process, it is necessary that you assign a impartial person to act as a scribe (note taker). Inform this person of what types of notes that you expect him/her to take. Provide this person with a laptop computer or the least an agenda with space for notes.
Assign a Facilitator /Timekeeper. The Facilitator/timekeeper's duties are to con-trol the meeting to ensure that it follows the agenda, guide the dialogue (pro- cess), distill fact findings, and control and maintain the Q&A session, and to provide input to ensure that the meeting is successful. A regular sports-time watch can be used to time speakers and the round robin session.
Round Robin Q&A session. A Round Robin Q&A session often follows after a presentation has been made. Each participants is allotted two minutes to speaking his/her mind and address questions, concerns or inputs to the pre- senter. In the first round every participant must speak. In the second and third rounds, participants may defer from offering their input or yield the time to ano-ther participant. It is the facilitator's role to guide this process, to ensure that Q&A session is in line with the topic at hand. The facilitator will also ensure that a dialogue is properly maintained, and review and distill the findings. The facili- tator will aid the owner of the meeting to determine what issues to be put on the parking lot list (a list detailing certain issues assigned to owners for future action/handling).
Team communications. To continue the dialogue and the success of the team learning, certain communications and protocols should be maintained to conti- nue the free flow of shared meaning, and to resolve issues that came up. The issues put on the parking lot that cannot be resolved at the meeting, should be assigned to a particular owner with a timeline for successful completion and delivery to the team. An action register for these particular issues should be discussed and completed by the team. Weekly activity reporting of these by the owner of the issues to the team should be maintained. You may put aside a time for review of previous accomplishments. The team will also decide upon the time for the next scheduled session. After the meeting, the scribe should write up the meeting minutes and other team communications and deliver it to the meeting owner for distribution to the participants.
Last thought on making meetings effective
The dialogue approach to team learning has proved very effective in my expe- rience. It is recommended that you follow this approach in structuring your meetings. The culture, education level, type of activity and many other factors will determine the final structure of your various meetings. Naturally some meetings will take a different form than others. You may add to this structure any aspects that can greatly influence the outcome and accomplishment of your meetings. If you follow these guidelines, your meetings will become more effec-tive.
Every day and week we attend meetings for staff related issues, planning, root cause, production, management review, and for many other business reasons. Some people spend more time in meetings than in performing their regular du- ties and responsibilities. Which in turn causes many to work overtime (without pay) to catch up on business communications, organize the in-basket, answe- ring and placing routine memos and calls, and producing reports of their activi- ties. An every business person spends a majority of time handling process or support related activities, instead of creating new opportunities for the compa-ny. This article will deal with some reasons for having meetings and how get the most out of meetings.
When are meetings necessary and when could information be communicate differently?
There are times when meetings are not necessary. If there is a purpose for a meeting, then a meeting should be scheduled. However, before scheduling a meeting, you may want to ask yourself whether this information is better communicated with a memorandum, report, e-mail, video-conference, or taped message instead of arranging for a meeting. Is having a meeting the best way to communicate the information to the intended parties. If so, arrange for the meeting, and ensure that it is structured as a dialogue for optimum team lear- ning.
How to structure a dialogue for team learning.
The premise for most meetings should be the furtherance of team learning. Some meetings are not structured for a learning experience. If the purpose of the meeting is for team learning, it can best be experienced through a dialo- gue. A dialogue is different mode of communication than a discussion or a talk, which often are one-way communication or win-lose proposition. In a dialogue, because of its synergistic approach (the whole organizes the parts) participants share a common meaning. This win-win relationship is often called group- think, but it goes beyond this concept. Dialogue means "through common mea-ning." As, Bohm contends, in this arrangement, individuals are participating in this pool of common meaning. In dialogue, people then become aware (obser- vers) of their own thinking, its collective effect on the whole, which is capable of constant development and change. And the thought emanating from this ac-tivity becomes coherent (which essence has a sense of order, harmony, beau- ty). Bohm identifies three basic conditions that are necessary for dialogue:
all participants must suspend their assumptions, literally to hold them together as if suspended before us;
all participants must regard one another as colleagues;
there must be a facilitator who holds the context of the dialogue. (The Fifth Discipline, Senge, 243)
These conditions allows a free flow of meaning to circulate the entire group, by the diminishing of resistance to the flow.
Participants suspend their assumptions by being aware of their assumptions and holding them up for examinations. Opinions could be subjective, but they cannot be defended or suppressed. The team must be disciplined to allow this free flow of shared meaning. Stereotypes and negative mental models should be abandoned. Participants will listen without forming opinions. Analyze the thought process and the results. Each participant must ensure open-minded- ness, without bias or preconceived ideas.
Dialogue can only occur when a group of people see each other as colleagues in the mutual quest for deeper insight and clarity of the inquiry. Seeing each other as colleagues and friends makes for a positive, nourishing environment. Every one in the dialogue is equal, and there are no adversarial relationships allowed. People should leave their position at the door, and no hierarchy can be present in the meeting, except, of course for the facilitator. Fear and judg- ment must be replaced with love, understanding, and appreciation for differen-ce. No opinion is stupid, but should be evaluate in the context of dialogue. Spi- rit of inquiry would allow participants to explore the thinking behind their views. Views must be substantiated by fact or opinion put on the board for fur-ther evaluation.
The facilitator should be a good process facilitator capable of helping people maintain the ownership of the process and the outcome. This person is res- ponsible for guiding and influencing the flow of development by looking at all sides of the observation made by a participant.
Guidelines we have found that contribute to effective meetings.
Here are a few guidelines that we have found makes meetings effective.
Clearly Communicated and Distributed Agenda - Purpose of the meeting. Once you have determined that a physical meeting is necessary either at a location or via teleconference, you must determine what the purpose of the meeting is, who should attend and put together the agenda, with or without the input from the participants. A meeting location should be confirmed and booked, refreshments and food ordered, participants contacted well ahead of schedule, presenter given enough time to prepare presentation. Solicit input for the structure of the meeting from presenters and others, if necessary. If there is a need for participants to teleconference, a bridge and time should be booked. This agenda should be sent well ahead of schedule (possibly in form of a memorandum) to all participants. A day before the meeting, send a reminder. Bring extra copies of the meeting agenda to the meeting. The agenda should detail:
Date and starting time and ending time
Meeting location (map included, if necessary)
List of participants and presenters.
Subjects covered so participants can review and bring material to the meeting for discussion.
Time limit for presentations or topics so speakers are motivated to present their specific points.
Ensure that the meeting is a dialogue and not a discussion (if it is not merely a presentation). Meetings should not be confused with presentations, manage- ment update, forums, and other one-way communication activities. To get the most out of meetings, ensure that the meetings are held in a dialogue mode, with other guidelines added for success. If participants of the meeting are not educated in the dialogue
Assign a Scribe. As the meeting coordinator or owner of the meeting and its process, it is necessary that you assign a impartial person to act as a scribe (note taker). Inform this person of what types of notes that you expect him/her to take. Provide this person with a laptop computer or the least an agenda with space for notes.
Assign a Facilitator /Timekeeper. The Facilitator/timekeeper's duties are to con-trol the meeting to ensure that it follows the agenda, guide the dialogue (pro- cess), distill fact findings, and control and maintain the Q&A session, and to provide input to ensure that the meeting is successful. A regular sports-time watch can be used to time speakers and the round robin session.
Round Robin Q&A session. A Round Robin Q&A session often follows after a presentation has been made. Each participants is allotted two minutes to speaking his/her mind and address questions, concerns or inputs to the pre- senter. In the first round every participant must speak. In the second and third rounds, participants may defer from offering their input or yield the time to ano-ther participant. It is the facilitator's role to guide this process, to ensure that Q&A session is in line with the topic at hand. The facilitator will also ensure that a dialogue is properly maintained, and review and distill the findings. The facili- tator will aid the owner of the meeting to determine what issues to be put on the parking lot list (a list detailing certain issues assigned to owners for future action/handling).
Team communications. To continue the dialogue and the success of the team learning, certain communications and protocols should be maintained to conti- nue the free flow of shared meaning, and to resolve issues that came up. The issues put on the parking lot that cannot be resolved at the meeting, should be assigned to a particular owner with a timeline for successful completion and delivery to the team. An action register for these particular issues should be discussed and completed by the team. Weekly activity reporting of these by the owner of the issues to the team should be maintained. You may put aside a time for review of previous accomplishments. The team will also decide upon the time for the next scheduled session. After the meeting, the scribe should write up the meeting minutes and other team communications and deliver it to the meeting owner for distribution to the participants.
Last thought on making meetings effective
The dialogue approach to team learning has proved very effective in my expe- rience. It is recommended that you follow this approach in structuring your meetings. The culture, education level, type of activity and many other factors will determine the final structure of your various meetings. Naturally some meetings will take a different form than others. You may add to this structure any aspects that can greatly influence the outcome and accomplishment of your meetings. If you follow these guidelines, your meetings will become more effec-tive.
