I wrote on Monday about running better meetings. I got some interesting responses from readers and other friends (including my business partner who wondered if we follow my own rules for meetings when we discuss issues! We do -- for the most part!). The most interesting comment came in an email from a friend who added; "If you attend meetings you need to demand that the person running the meeting does not waste your time". Hmmmm, good point!
If you attend regular meetings for work or volunteer activities you have the right to expect a productive use of your time. Many people hate meetings because they are a big time suck, but these meeting participants never do anything to change the death spiral of useless and ineffective meetings.
If a meeting sucks the major responsibility rests with the leader. However, if the people who are in the attendance do not demand better function, then they deserve the crappy meetings where they are held prisoner.
If you are part of a group that has weak meetings you can step up and make them better. Talk to the leaders and ask them how you can be the solution. Too many people are passive about sitting in bad meetings and then complaining about them later. Do not be that person who gossips and undermines the leader for their horrible meetings. Take action to help make meetings better.
1. Lead by example. Show up early and be prepared to participate. Do not read online articles or communicate by email on your laptop or smart phone during meetings. And never roll your eyes with your closest friends (you think others do not see that? Come on!). Always work to promote the common good of the group and advance discussion.
2. Ask for a defined meeting purpose and agenda. Talk with the leader and let them know that you want to help make better use of his or her time in the regular gatherings. Let them know that you are willing to take on the project of the agenda if they do not have time. Let them know that the meetings are not well received in their current format (they may not know!).
3. Hold others accountable to topics and time frames. If you have people in the meeting who go off on tangents or talk too long, talk with them in private about how you need their help and leadership skills to improve the meetings. Do not attack them for their being verbose, but instead appeal to their need to be heard, but channeling them into a champion of efficient meetings.
4. If none of the above works, do not quit looking for ideas that can change the meeting culture. I promise that your meetings can be better. I have seen many companies and volunteer groups improve meetings.... but it takes effort and the right determination. Maybe you need to become the boss or run for president of the organization. Remember, when you become the leader, make sure you are not the cause of more crap meetings in the future!
Have A Great Day.
thom
Showing posts with label Non-Profit Boards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non-Profit Boards. Show all posts
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Creating A Connected Culture On Your Volunteer Board
I have served on several non-profit boards, including taking on the role of president on a few occasions. Being on a volunteer board is a great way to give back to your community or industry, and will always expose finding ways to learn and grow while impacting others. It is also a fast way to expand your network and establish your position as a leader. However, it can also be riddled with headaches.
Serving on a board can bring with it the difficulties of having to interact with other people and getting caught up in the politics that often seem to occur when passionate people get together to implement change.
Everyone joins a board with good intentions, but when a meeting runs long and you are sitting across the table from someone with an opposing plan for the future direction of the organization, it is easy to forget the positive reasons for which you both signed up. Tempers can flare, and that can create conflict.
It is always better for the whole when board members can spend time together outside of meetings. Getting to know each other on a deeper level is key to the culture of the board. It is human nature to prejudge others, so when you only see the rest of your board at an occasional formal meeting, you will never understand what is in the soul of those with whom you serve.
In order for a board to work well together there must be a combination of good leadership and a culture of connectedness. While having a diverse board with differing points of view is a good thing, it can also bring with it arguments and sideline the progress. While there is always room for disagreement, there is never room for power-plays and disrespect. Having groups that knows and cares for each other will help prevent much of the petty clashing of the titans that often happens.
Respect is key, but each person must also remember that they must understand and respect the other people too. One person cannot demand all the respect in the room, or the whole relationship economy of the board will crumble.
I was once in an organization that was caught up in a tsunami of change. The changes were inevitable and for the betterment of the organization, but the senior board members and the newer board members forgot to respect the point of view of the other side. They did not have any type of personal relationship, and both distrusted the motivations of the other side. This brought with it all the dysfunction imaginable.
A new board member was running for a leadership position and began to demand his "due" respect from the rest of the organization. Suddenly a wise member who had not chosen sides reminded the whole group that one cannot demand respect, one must earn it. These sage words ended the debate and the new maverick board member was not elected this time around. He instead worked hard to support the whole team and later earned the right to lead the organization.
I have never forgotten the importance of those words about earning respect. I work to remind those who serve in any volunteer capacity to work to earn the respect of the others on their committee or board before seeking the opportunity to lead. When people work to cultivate relationships with others they are creating the foundations for long term success (for themselves and the organization as a whole).
Members need to be reminded of why they are all serving. Nobody would admit they joined a board for the power and prestige (although for some that might be a reason!), thus the mission and goals of the group must be publicly stated often. Out of sight is out of mind. Beginning a meeting with a reminder of the greater good will help all participants check their egos and personal agendas at the door.
If you are part of a volunteer board, make sure that the members have time to socialize and establish real connections. Communicate the purpose of the board and the organization regularly to not let it be forgotten. Encourage respectful discussion, even when there is disagreement. If the culture is one of understanding and respect your whole organization will succeed.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Serving on a board can bring with it the difficulties of having to interact with other people and getting caught up in the politics that often seem to occur when passionate people get together to implement change.
Everyone joins a board with good intentions, but when a meeting runs long and you are sitting across the table from someone with an opposing plan for the future direction of the organization, it is easy to forget the positive reasons for which you both signed up. Tempers can flare, and that can create conflict.
It is always better for the whole when board members can spend time together outside of meetings. Getting to know each other on a deeper level is key to the culture of the board. It is human nature to prejudge others, so when you only see the rest of your board at an occasional formal meeting, you will never understand what is in the soul of those with whom you serve.
In order for a board to work well together there must be a combination of good leadership and a culture of connectedness. While having a diverse board with differing points of view is a good thing, it can also bring with it arguments and sideline the progress. While there is always room for disagreement, there is never room for power-plays and disrespect. Having groups that knows and cares for each other will help prevent much of the petty clashing of the titans that often happens.
Respect is key, but each person must also remember that they must understand and respect the other people too. One person cannot demand all the respect in the room, or the whole relationship economy of the board will crumble.
I was once in an organization that was caught up in a tsunami of change. The changes were inevitable and for the betterment of the organization, but the senior board members and the newer board members forgot to respect the point of view of the other side. They did not have any type of personal relationship, and both distrusted the motivations of the other side. This brought with it all the dysfunction imaginable.
A new board member was running for a leadership position and began to demand his "due" respect from the rest of the organization. Suddenly a wise member who had not chosen sides reminded the whole group that one cannot demand respect, one must earn it. These sage words ended the debate and the new maverick board member was not elected this time around. He instead worked hard to support the whole team and later earned the right to lead the organization.
I have never forgotten the importance of those words about earning respect. I work to remind those who serve in any volunteer capacity to work to earn the respect of the others on their committee or board before seeking the opportunity to lead. When people work to cultivate relationships with others they are creating the foundations for long term success (for themselves and the organization as a whole).
Members need to be reminded of why they are all serving. Nobody would admit they joined a board for the power and prestige (although for some that might be a reason!), thus the mission and goals of the group must be publicly stated often. Out of sight is out of mind. Beginning a meeting with a reminder of the greater good will help all participants check their egos and personal agendas at the door.
If you are part of a volunteer board, make sure that the members have time to socialize and establish real connections. Communicate the purpose of the board and the organization regularly to not let it be forgotten. Encourage respectful discussion, even when there is disagreement. If the culture is one of understanding and respect your whole organization will succeed.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Monday, June 14, 2010
Three Steps to Running Better Meetings
There are good meetings, bad meetings, and meetings where those in attendance would rather jump from the windows than sit through one more wasted minute.
If you work for a company larger than one person, serve on a volunteer committee / board, or belong to any type of organization then you will eventually have to sit through a meeting. There is a lot written about the effectiveness and necessity of meetings, but there is no reason why meetings should not be more productive. No meeting should be a waste of time for anyone in attendance.
I cannot estimate the number of meetings I have attended. The common denominator of a good meeting rests in the hands of the person in charge. Clear communication of goals, respect for all in the room (or on the phone line), and holding to a time limit can all be a reality. If the meeting sucks, you can be sure that the leader is not really in charge.
Here are my three suggestions to running better meetings:
1. Be sure the meetings is necessary, and how often a group should meet. Meeting for the sake of meeting is dumb. But not all meetings are a waste of time, but some of them are just held out of routine or a feeling that a group "should meet". There are reasons why groups need to gather to discuss important issues, but every organization must be careful not to overburden members with meetings.
A law firm of 25 lawyers had a consultant recommend they create 17 different management committees within the firm. The idea was each committee could meet monthly to discuss individual issues pertaining to the organization's future success. WHAT? So much for servicing clients. The lawyers would have spent much of their time planning for meetings, attending meetings, re-capping meetings or figuring out how they could avoid meetings.
2. Have a written agenda with time frames. You should never plan a meeting that does not have a pre-determined agenda that is distributed to all attendees in advance (a minimum of three hours in advance all should be emailed the agenda). Make sure that those who will be attending know the deadline to submit items for discussion in advance. Be clear that there may not be time for items not pre-approved for the agenda. You must allow for really important issues to be added while simultaneously avoiding rambling about unplanned topics that are not pertinent.
Have a start time and finish time for the meeting along with approximate time for each topic spelled out on the agenda. If the time for discussion needs to go longer for any one item, make sure the group agrees to extend the discussion. If the topic can be tabled until the next meeting, do it. When agreement is reached to extend discussion, and all are aware that this will make the whole meeting run longer, people will not gripe about the length of the meeting. Do not cut items lower on the agenda to make up for time.
3. Have time set aside to discuss underlying issues that might effect the group. Let members know if they have any issues with any items or individuals that they are required to bring them up at this point in the meeting. No organization can prosper if there is gossip, back biting, or secret "bitch sessions". Establish a culture where it is safe for people to share their views, while those on the other side are not instantly offended by what is said. If the group all understands the common goal, and egos can be left in check, then discussing problems does not have to be a negative or hurtful experience.
This is a hard thing to do, as sometimes people are often either too harsh in sharing their critical view points, or too sensitive to what others say. However, when a group can have an respectful airing of issues, then you will be more productive in future. When people harbor resentment and stew about things between meetings, everyone loses. This may require an education process for the whole group and strong moderation by the leader, but if done correctly this step can lead to the creation of a highly productive team.
If you leave the success of meetings to chance then you get whatever result you get. If you pre-plan and take ownership of running a better meeting then all in attendance (including the leader) will benefit from an effective and productive use of their time. You cannot hide from a bad meeting procedures.... and you do not want to encourage people to jump from the windows..
Have A Great Day.
thom
If you work for a company larger than one person, serve on a volunteer committee / board, or belong to any type of organization then you will eventually have to sit through a meeting. There is a lot written about the effectiveness and necessity of meetings, but there is no reason why meetings should not be more productive. No meeting should be a waste of time for anyone in attendance.
I cannot estimate the number of meetings I have attended. The common denominator of a good meeting rests in the hands of the person in charge. Clear communication of goals, respect for all in the room (or on the phone line), and holding to a time limit can all be a reality. If the meeting sucks, you can be sure that the leader is not really in charge.
Here are my three suggestions to running better meetings:
1. Be sure the meetings is necessary, and how often a group should meet. Meeting for the sake of meeting is dumb. But not all meetings are a waste of time, but some of them are just held out of routine or a feeling that a group "should meet". There are reasons why groups need to gather to discuss important issues, but every organization must be careful not to overburden members with meetings.
A law firm of 25 lawyers had a consultant recommend they create 17 different management committees within the firm. The idea was each committee could meet monthly to discuss individual issues pertaining to the organization's future success. WHAT? So much for servicing clients. The lawyers would have spent much of their time planning for meetings, attending meetings, re-capping meetings or figuring out how they could avoid meetings.
2. Have a written agenda with time frames. You should never plan a meeting that does not have a pre-determined agenda that is distributed to all attendees in advance (a minimum of three hours in advance all should be emailed the agenda). Make sure that those who will be attending know the deadline to submit items for discussion in advance. Be clear that there may not be time for items not pre-approved for the agenda. You must allow for really important issues to be added while simultaneously avoiding rambling about unplanned topics that are not pertinent.
Have a start time and finish time for the meeting along with approximate time for each topic spelled out on the agenda. If the time for discussion needs to go longer for any one item, make sure the group agrees to extend the discussion. If the topic can be tabled until the next meeting, do it. When agreement is reached to extend discussion, and all are aware that this will make the whole meeting run longer, people will not gripe about the length of the meeting. Do not cut items lower on the agenda to make up for time.
3. Have time set aside to discuss underlying issues that might effect the group. Let members know if they have any issues with any items or individuals that they are required to bring them up at this point in the meeting. No organization can prosper if there is gossip, back biting, or secret "bitch sessions". Establish a culture where it is safe for people to share their views, while those on the other side are not instantly offended by what is said. If the group all understands the common goal, and egos can be left in check, then discussing problems does not have to be a negative or hurtful experience.
This is a hard thing to do, as sometimes people are often either too harsh in sharing their critical view points, or too sensitive to what others say. However, when a group can have an respectful airing of issues, then you will be more productive in future. When people harbor resentment and stew about things between meetings, everyone loses. This may require an education process for the whole group and strong moderation by the leader, but if done correctly this step can lead to the creation of a highly productive team.
If you leave the success of meetings to chance then you get whatever result you get. If you pre-plan and take ownership of running a better meeting then all in attendance (including the leader) will benefit from an effective and productive use of their time. You cannot hide from a bad meeting procedures.... and you do not want to encourage people to jump from the windows..
Have A Great Day.
thom
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