Date: 5/24/2017

Title: MEETINGS THAT MATTER – Part 2

By Bryan Arzani

In order to host meetings that matter, first answer the question about whether or not it even needs to be held. If you need outside input to make progress, and need to hold a real-time conversation, then have that meeting. Have general ground rules, so someone doesn’t monopolize the conversation, or hurry others through the decision making process.

Have an agenda and follow it! Appoint someone to take minutes. This isn’t just for sixth grade! It helps provide a record of processes and decisions that someone can go back and review, if needed. Understand group dynamics and manage those of your team. These will change every time you meet, as the members of the team will change. The person who takes the minutes can NOT be the leader of the team. The leader is busy managing the group dynamics and building toward consensus.

Drive the team to consensus. Consensus occurs when everyone on the team has a chance to talk about his/her opinion regarding the project, AND they feel heard. The second piece to consensus is that everyone on the team agrees to support the decision, when leaving the room.

Lead and teach your team the perspective of CPA. We can “cause”, “participate”, and “allow”. If the meeting is bad, I “allow” that to happen, when I don’t stop side conversations. I “participate” in making it bad, when I am one who is having a side conversation. And, I “cause” it to be bad, when I don’t have my part of the work done for the meeting.

Meetings don’t have to cause us to shudder. When scheduled appropriately and run well, we can set a place for conversation and productive outcomes.

To learn more about how to practice this understanding, contact Results Group, LLC at www.ResultsGroupLLC.com or 515-330-2866.