The Maligned Meeting

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The Maligned Meeting

• Charlene R. Burgeson
• NASPE Executive Director

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• If you had to identify, in one word, the reason
  why the human race has not achieved, and never
  will achieve, its full potential, that word would
  be meetings.
• -Dave Barry
• -In Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn

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• A committee is a group that keeps minutes and
  loses hours.
• To get something done a committee should consist
  of no more than three people, two of whom are
  absent.
• To kill time, a committee meeting is the perfect
  weapon.

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Meeting Factoids

• Average meeting takes place in a conference room
  at 11am and lasts 1.5 hours
• It has no written agenda, and its purported
  purpose is completed only 50 of the time
• 1/4 complain that they waste 11-25 of time
  discussing irrelevant issues
• 1/3 feel pressured to publicly espouse opinions
  with which they privately disagree
• 1/3 feel they have minimal or no influence on the
  discussion
• Study by USC Los Angeles as cited in Forbes,
  10/25/93

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• Are you meeting adverse?
• Do you believe that there is no such thing as a
  good meeting?
• WHY???!!!

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Open Discussion

• What are the most common problems or shortcomings
  of meetings?
• How do you feel after a bad meeting?

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Open Discussion

• What are the characteristics of a good meeting?
• How do you feel after a good meeting?

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• Effective meetings dont happen by accident, they
  happen by design.
• Even good meetings can be better.
• When in doubt, dont call a meeting.
• Meetings without an agenda are like a restaurant
  without a menu.

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7 Elements of Highly Successful Meetings

• Purpose
• Preparation
• Expectations
• Facilitation
• Evaluation
• Documentation
• Follow-up

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Meeting Types

• Staff meeting
• Board meeting
• Representative assembly, Town hall meeting
• Committee meeting
• Workgroup meeting
• In-person
• Conference call
• Hybrid

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Variables

• Small vs. large meeting (size)
• Length of meeting (time)
• Workgroup or committee vs. Board (formality)
• Paid staff vs. volunteers (expectations)
• Others???

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Purpose

• Stated purpose
• Objectives or desired outcomes
• If unclear or inadequate to merit a meeting,
  cancel/postpone the meeting

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Preparation

• Collect items ongoingly (meeting prep file)
• Request agenda items from meeting participants
• Develop a written agenda
• Begin on a high note (kudos, celebrations)
• Beginning reflect on last meeting and whats
  been accomplished since then
• Put foundation items first
• Dont leave most important/complex items for end
  of day/mtg
• Note time allotted for each discussion item
• Build in adequate breaks, including physical
  activity
• Ending summarize meeting envision where youre
  going

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Preparation

• Invite others to present/brief
• Meeting participants
• Invited guest
• Develop/gather meeting support materials
• Concept paper, Framework document
• Key questions
• Provide all items to participants in advance of
  the meeting
• Enhance the meeting with A/V
• Provide a comfortable physical environment

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Expectations

• Participants will adequately prepare for the
  meeting
• Start on time
• End on time or early
• Everyone actively participates
• Respectful interactions

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Facilitation

• The less formal, the better
  (dont let parliamentary procedures stand in the
  way of good discussion)
• Conference call in those individuals who cannot
  be present
• Make sure they can hear the conversation
• Include them in the conversation
• Allow enough time for comments and questions

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Facilitation

• Invite others opinions
• Differing opinions, Devils advocate
• Direct questions to quiet participants
• Breakout into small groups when appropriate
• Allow agenda items to be added during the meeting
  if appropriate
• Stay on topic (use a parking lot)
• Summarize the discussion and check for agreement

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Evaluation

• Measure meeting success against meeting
  objectives/desired outcomes
• Written anonymous evaluation
• Share evaluation data
• Debrief
• Use evaluation data to make appropriate changes
  in the future

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Documentation

• Publish meeting minutes or notes
• Keep statements/discussion points anonymous as
  appropriate
• Use bullets
• Bring attention to conclusions, motions, and
  action items
• Review/approval of draft minutes by meeting
  participants

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Follow-Up

• Develop and disseminate a flag list
• Refer back to minutes and flag list between
  meetings
• Refer to minutes and flag list while planning
  next meeting

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Activity

• Groups of 4-5
• Scenario
• State AHPERD Board meeting
• One day (approx. 6 hours of discussion time)
• Purpose big-picture thinking on K-12 physical
  education accountability and advocacy
• Intended outcome consensus on three-year goal
  and one year plan for state AHPERD
• Task develop a meeting agenda

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Sharing
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Open Discussion
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Heres to many successful meetings!