OH NO, NOT ANOTHER MEETING

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OH NO, NOT ANOTHER MEETING

• CAROL HAHN
• AWAG CONFERENCE 2009

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CLASS AGENDA

• Meetings - Why
• Common Complaints
• Preparation
• Conducting
• Dealing with Dysfunctional Members
• Follow-Up
• Summary

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MEETINGS.WHY?

• Why are you convening the meeting?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What specific outcomes, or results, do you want
  to achieve?

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MEETING PURPOSES

• Give and receive information
• Committee meetings, staff meetings
• Learn
• Training meetings, club meetings
• Plan
• Board meetings, newly formed groups, major event
  planning
• Solve Problems
• Committees, boards, fund raising
• Decide
• Groups that generate ideas
• Socialize
• Build Teamwork
• Newly formed groups or teams
• Multi-purpose
• - Board meetings, staff meetings

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COMMON COMPLAINTS

• Do not start on time
• Too long or too short
• Poorly organized- no agenda
• Poorly led- rambling
• Boring
• Not focused on important issues
• Dominated by one person
• Called too frequently
• Called too infrequently
• Too many distractions
• Diverted by dysfunctional behavior

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WHEN NOT TO HAVE A MEETING

• Not enough time to plan and prepare
• A decision has already been made
• Key members cannot attend
• Group needs more time

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PREPARATION
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PREPARATION

• Define the meeting purpose
• Develop an agenda
• Distribute agenda prior to meeting
• Attendee responsibilities
• Leader
• Facilitator
• Recorder
• Participants

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CONDUCTING THE MEETING
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CONDUCTING THE MEETING

• Start on time
• Establish ground rules
• Review the agenda and set priorities
• Stick to the agenda
• Assign responsibilities and establish target
  dates for task completion
• Summarize agreements reached
• Close meeting at or before the agreed time
• Keep a written record

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DEALING WITH DYSFUNCTIONAL MEMBERS
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DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORS

• Talking for the sake of being heard
• Conducting side conversations
• Challenging attempts to move the group toward
  decisions
• Joking about everything that happens
• Interpreting criticism of ideas as personal
  attacks
• Waving off or negating all suggestions of new
  ideas
• Urging the group to take action before a problem
  is clearly identified
• Insisting on a precise, clear definition of each
  idea to the point that the group becomes bogged
  down

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RULES TO HELP LEADERSDEAL WITH DYSFUNCTIONAL
MEMBERS

• Listen but do not debate
• Talk privately with members who continually
  exhibit disruptive behaviors
• Turn negative behaviors into positive
  contributions
• Encourage the group to share the responsibility
  for handling dysfunctional members

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FOLLOW-UP
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RULES FOR FOLLOW-UP

• Edit and distribute the minutes promptly
• Encourage the completion of tasks
• Put unfinished business on the agenda for the
  next meeting

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SUMMARY
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DEALING WITH DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORS

• MEETING MANAGEMENT SCENARIOS

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THE COMMITTEE

• Stacey Jones- Committee Chairperson
• Pam Brown- Personnel Manager
• Sue Troy- Finance Manager
• Sheila White- Thrift Shop Liaison
• Jane Harper- Director of Information Technology
• Barb King- Supervisor of Maintenance
• Sharon Dixon- Consignment Manager
• Jody Graves- Public Relations Officer

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SCENARIO ONE

• A meeting has been called to discuss the
  shortage of staff in the housekeeping division of
  the Thrift Shop. As Shelia White, Thrift Shop
  Liaison, begins to make a presentation on the
  need for an increase in the cleaning staff, Sue
  Troy, Finance Manger, interjects I dont see
  any point to this meeting since there simply
  arent any additional funds available!

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Possible Responses

• ___a. If you really believe that, Sue, why did
  you come to this meeting?
• ___b. How do the rest of you feel about
  proceeding with this meeting in light of Sues
  statement?
• ___c. Thats precisely why you were asked to
  this meeting, Sue, because only you can identify
  potential sources of funding if the group decides
  that this staffing need must be met.

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_3_a. If you really believe that, Sue, why did
you come to this meeting? _2_b. How do the
rest of you feel about proceeding with this
meeting in light of Sues statement? _1_c.
Thats precisely why you were asked to this
meeting, Sue, because only you can identify
potential sources of funding if the group decides
that this staffing need must be met.
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SCENARIO TWO

• As the meeting progresses, the chairperson
  notices that Sheila keeps referring to an error
  in the last monthly financial report generated by
  Sue. The error was corrected and the matter is
  irrelevant to the present discussion.

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Possible Responses

• ___a. As you know, Sheila, that error was
  corrected very promptly, and Im sure youll
  agree that Sue is by far the best qualified
  person to advise us on the financial issue we
  face today.
• ___b. Sheila, could you explain to the group
  why you think that point is relevant to this
  meeting?
• ___c. Sheila, if you have an axe to grind,
  please keep it out of this meeting.

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• _1_a. As you know, Sheila, that error was
  corrected very promptly, and Im sure youll
  agree that Sue is by far the best qualified
  person to advise us on the financial issue we
  face today.
• _2_b. Sheila, could you explain to the group
  why you think that point is relevant to this
  meeting?
• _3_c. Sheila, if you have an axe to grind,
  please keep it out of this meeting.

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SCENARIO THREE

• Later in the meeting, the supervisor of
  maintenance, Barb King, states that the
  understaffing is causing a serious cleaning
  problem and she doesnt want this group to sweep
  the problem under the rug. You notice that this
  is the fourth pun from Barb in the past ten
  minutes.

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Possible Responses

• ___a. Barb, while we appreciate your humor, we
  need your expertise in solving this problem.
• ___b. If you keep this up, Barb Ill have to
  call you on the carpet.
• ___c. Barb, will you please cut out the jokes
  so that we can get on with the meeting?

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• _1_a. Barb, while we appreciate your humor, we
  need your expertise in solving this problem.
• _3_b. If you keep this up, Barb Ill have to
  call you on the carpet.
• _2_c. Barb, will you please cut out the jokes
  so that we can get on with the meeting?

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SCENARIO FOUR

• The chairperson notices that Jody Graves,
  Public Relations Officer, who first brought to
  the committee the increasing complaints about the
  dirty condition on the Thrift Shop, has remained
  silent throughout the meeting.

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Possible Responses

• ___a. Jody, youre the one who first brought
  this problem to my attention what do you have to
  say about it?
• ___b. Jody, how does this discussion relate to
  your responsibilities?
• ___c. You are very quiet today, Jody dont you
  have anything to say?

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• _3_a. Jody, youre the one who first brought
  this problem to my attention what do you have to
  say about it?
• _1_b. Jody, how does this discussion relate to
  your responsibilities?
• _2_c. You are very quiet today, Jody dont you
  have anything to say?

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SCENARIO FIVE

• Every time that Sharon Dixon, Consignment
  Manager, has been asked for her views, she has
  stressed the need for more information and
  further study of the situation - an approach she
  tends to take with almost every topic.

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Possible Responses

• ___a. Sharon, this matter has been studied to
  death its time to make a decision.
• ___b. Where, specifically, do you think we need
  more information?
• ___c. While your questions certainly have
  helped us to appreciate the background of this
  matter, Sharon, I believe that the time now has
  come to make a decision.

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• _3_a. Sharon, this matter has been studied to
  death its time to make a decision.
• _2_b. Where, specifically, do you think we need
  more information?
• _1_c. While your questions certainly have
  helped us to appreciate the background of this
  matter, Sharon, I believe that the time now has
  come to make a decision.

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SCENARIO SIX

• Jane Harper, Director of Information
  Technology, arrived quite late and now announces
  that she must leave for another meeting
  (concerning the acquisition of new computer
  equipment) in five minutes.

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Possible Responses

• ___a. Since you just got here, Jane, dont you
  think you should stay awhile?
• ___b. For heavens sake, Jane, why are you
  involved in overlapping meetings?
• ___c. Jane, perhaps we should discuss this
  later, to ensure that this problem doesnt happen
  again.

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• _2_a. Since you just got here, Jane, dont you
  think you should stay awhile?
• _3_b. For heavens sake, Jane, why are you
  involved in overlapping meetings?
• _1_c. Jane, perhaps we should discuss this
  later, to ensure that this problem doesnt happen
  again.

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SCENARIO SEVEN

• During the meeting, Pam frequently has been off
  topic and not very attentive. Pam is now
  whispering to Sue about matters not on the agenda.

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Possible Responses

• ___a. Pause in mid-sentence and look at Pam
  without comment, perhaps adding,Pam, I guess you
  have something to say here or Pam, perhaps the
  whole group could benefit from your remarks.
• ___b. Pam, could you please direct your
  attention to the matter under discussion?
• ___c. What do you see as the personnel
  implications of this point, Pam?

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• _1_a. Pause in mid-sentence and look at Pam
  without comment, perhaps adding,Pam, I guess you
  have something to say here or Pam, perhaps the
  whole group could benefit from your remarks.
• _3_b. Pam, could you please direct your
  attention to the matter under discussion?
• _2_c. What do you see as the personnel
  implications of this point, Pam?

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QUESTIONS ???

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RESOURCES

• Make Meetings Matter by
• Charlie Hawkins
• The 1983 Annual for Facilitators, Trainers, and
  Consultants by
• Goodstein and Pfeiffer