Saturday, May 1, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Not Another Meeting!
Sadly this comment is common. Why? Are not meetings a place to do work? Are they not the place for people to make decisions? It is not the meeting that is the problem. It is how the meeting is set up, carried out, and followed through that usually causes the issues. If you have "soap opera" meetings...meetings that seem like the meetings held a week, month or year ago...you really do have and issue with putting ACTION into your meetings.
A = Accountability. Meetings are to get work done and make decisions. Without accountability this usually allows meeting to deteriorate into endless meetings.
C = Clarity. It starts with an agenda. Everyone needs to know what the meeting is about and what is to be the outcome. Issues, ideas and information should be clear and concise. Presenters should be held to a high standard of efficient presentations. Few slides, if any, and clearly defined issues and outcomes stated as "one pagers", go a long way in improving preparation for meetings.
T = Time. Yes time should be carefully considered in all aspects: the overall time of the meeting, the time of each presentation, the time to make a decision. Time should not be seen as a limiting factor but a proficiency factor. If clarity and preparation are done correctly, meetings do not have to drone on and on.
I = Individuals. Are the right people there? Are the right levels of decision makers in the meeting? Are the individuals participating? Meetings should never function in a way that allows people to attend and not participate. If a person is invited, they should be there to broaden knowledge and share in the decision.
O = Ownership. Participants should take ownership of the meeting process and decisions. Everyone involved must feel it is their meeting and have an interest in the outcome. That also means owning up to behaviors that may hinder meetings such as lack of preparation, not having agendas, being late, allowing poor or no minutes and allowing a meeting to end without action items.
N = Names. Ever been in a meeting where it was decided "something" must be done but no one was assigned the task? It is important that all action items have names attached to them. It is also much more efficient if the names of attendees are available. Minutes with names attached to comments, ideas, or decisions are valuable so others know who to contact for clarification or for follow-up conversations.
This is a simple description of behaviors that can help meetings be more successful. It is not all inclusive list of meeting skills. The only way to improve meetings is to start somewhere. Good luck.
A = Accountability. Meetings are to get work done and make decisions. Without accountability this usually allows meeting to deteriorate into endless meetings.
C = Clarity. It starts with an agenda. Everyone needs to know what the meeting is about and what is to be the outcome. Issues, ideas and information should be clear and concise. Presenters should be held to a high standard of efficient presentations. Few slides, if any, and clearly defined issues and outcomes stated as "one pagers", go a long way in improving preparation for meetings.
T = Time. Yes time should be carefully considered in all aspects: the overall time of the meeting, the time of each presentation, the time to make a decision. Time should not be seen as a limiting factor but a proficiency factor. If clarity and preparation are done correctly, meetings do not have to drone on and on.
I = Individuals. Are the right people there? Are the right levels of decision makers in the meeting? Are the individuals participating? Meetings should never function in a way that allows people to attend and not participate. If a person is invited, they should be there to broaden knowledge and share in the decision.
O = Ownership. Participants should take ownership of the meeting process and decisions. Everyone involved must feel it is their meeting and have an interest in the outcome. That also means owning up to behaviors that may hinder meetings such as lack of preparation, not having agendas, being late, allowing poor or no minutes and allowing a meeting to end without action items.
N = Names. Ever been in a meeting where it was decided "something" must be done but no one was assigned the task? It is important that all action items have names attached to them. It is also much more efficient if the names of attendees are available. Minutes with names attached to comments, ideas, or decisions are valuable so others know who to contact for clarification or for follow-up conversations.
This is a simple description of behaviors that can help meetings be more successful. It is not all inclusive list of meeting skills. The only way to improve meetings is to start somewhere. Good luck.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Making Decisions
I have been providing seminars on making decisions for years, mainly focusing on crisis events. Here are some things I see that impacts decisions more than anything.
* We do not learn from our mistakes. If we really did, why would man still be fighting wars, having economic recessions, and filling prisons? Where were the experts to stop us making the decisions that lead us into our crisis?
* There is an old saying that "We can never step into the same river twice." Some say that is foolish. "I can step into the Missouri or Mississippi as many time as I want." Therein they are missing the point. You can never step into the same environment since the water you stepped into the last time has long moved on. We often fool ourselves thinking that we have seen this situation before and our experience will help us make a sound decision. Circumstances change constantly, be sure to evaluate each challenge anew.
* Decision making is not an exact science. Thinking so only places us at a disadvantage.
* Once we make a decision, the world moves on and we must make new decisions. Too often we stick with old decisions failing to realize their time has passed.
* Making decisions are part of life, albeit and imperfect part. If you are seeking the perfect solution, you likely are making no decisions and letting life pass you by. That may be the saddest decision anyone makes.
If only we had enough wisdom to make enough good decisions that we would not bring harm and hardship to others.
* We do not learn from our mistakes. If we really did, why would man still be fighting wars, having economic recessions, and filling prisons? Where were the experts to stop us making the decisions that lead us into our crisis?
* There is an old saying that "We can never step into the same river twice." Some say that is foolish. "I can step into the Missouri or Mississippi as many time as I want." Therein they are missing the point. You can never step into the same environment since the water you stepped into the last time has long moved on. We often fool ourselves thinking that we have seen this situation before and our experience will help us make a sound decision. Circumstances change constantly, be sure to evaluate each challenge anew.
* Decision making is not an exact science. Thinking so only places us at a disadvantage.
* Once we make a decision, the world moves on and we must make new decisions. Too often we stick with old decisions failing to realize their time has passed.
* Making decisions are part of life, albeit and imperfect part. If you are seeking the perfect solution, you likely are making no decisions and letting life pass you by. That may be the saddest decision anyone makes.
If only we had enough wisdom to make enough good decisions that we would not bring harm and hardship to others.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Law of No!
After many years I have come to the conclusion that there is a "Law of No!" It is rooted in our brains from the beginning of time and has impacted individuals, organizations, countries and cultures. Think back. What was one of the first words you remember? No! In fact, it may have been the first word you learned.
Now the word and concept of No is not bad. It is there create an environment in which we can live safely. Our basic brain is always searching for danger and threats to our well-being. That is why we just can't look away from accidents, danger, and threats. Isn't it easier to spot a mistake than to look for everything that is right? We are programmed to see the negative or threat.
A prime example of the impact of the "Law of No!" is in the recent health care debates. What do you remember? How may debates did you see depicted on TV that showed reasonable, even voiced people discussion options to improve health care? What you saw was the controversy, the shouting, the talking back...the "power of No". It made no difference whether ideas were good or bad. It was just rallies against health care. What is really interesting is that those in opposition were not proposing loudly their ideas or fighting to work with others to offer alternatives. Sadly, it became so blatently a No debate that the Republican party became called the party of No. How is this improving our lives?
It makes no difference your party affiliation or your organization, or personnal preferences, when you allow the Law of No! to rule your life you really make no progress.
The "Law of No!" has its place. When your parent yelled No! before you reached for a hot stove, it was for your safety. Unfortunately, No! can just as easily ruin your future and success if it becomes a reactive and thoughtless way of life. Do you really enjoy being around a negative or no person? It is depressing.
We need more people to look for options and solutions, and less just saying no.
Where have you seen the Law of No! working?
Now the word and concept of No is not bad. It is there create an environment in which we can live safely. Our basic brain is always searching for danger and threats to our well-being. That is why we just can't look away from accidents, danger, and threats. Isn't it easier to spot a mistake than to look for everything that is right? We are programmed to see the negative or threat.
A prime example of the impact of the "Law of No!" is in the recent health care debates. What do you remember? How may debates did you see depicted on TV that showed reasonable, even voiced people discussion options to improve health care? What you saw was the controversy, the shouting, the talking back...the "power of No". It made no difference whether ideas were good or bad. It was just rallies against health care. What is really interesting is that those in opposition were not proposing loudly their ideas or fighting to work with others to offer alternatives. Sadly, it became so blatently a No debate that the Republican party became called the party of No. How is this improving our lives?
It makes no difference your party affiliation or your organization, or personnal preferences, when you allow the Law of No! to rule your life you really make no progress.
The "Law of No!" has its place. When your parent yelled No! before you reached for a hot stove, it was for your safety. Unfortunately, No! can just as easily ruin your future and success if it becomes a reactive and thoughtless way of life. Do you really enjoy being around a negative or no person? It is depressing.
We need more people to look for options and solutions, and less just saying no.
Where have you seen the Law of No! working?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Our Future
great weather and a great crowd at the
launch Monday November 16th. It was
fascinating to see so many children at the
launch. It provides hope for the future
when young kids are interested in space.
At the astronaut breakfast that morning an
astronaut mentioned that after these last
shuttles are finished the real work begins.
The International Space Station will
become the learning lab to open space travel and technology
to go to Mars. He mentioned that many 10 to 12 year old's in the
room may be the astronauts that will take us to Mars. It will be a
5 year mission and everything to survive those years will have to be
on board the spacecraft. Everything will have to be self-sustaining
and recyclable. The science to take us to Mars may well be the
science to help us save our planet.
This made me realize more than ever that the journey
to the future is as important as achieving the goals.
All the technology and science learned going into space
has changed our daily lives for the better. Those things
are never found on balance sheets. I hope we do not become
so worried about the money today that we rob ourselves of
our future.
Possibly the biggest minefield facing our journey into the future is
our anchors to today and our past.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Do we learn from our mistakes?
Nearly everyone answers that question with a yes. Unfortunately, if you really observe behavior
the answer is likely, no. We know we should not repeat our mistakes but our habits, preferences, and avoidance of hard work usually trap us where we are at. What I find even more discouraging is man ( as a biologic entity) also does not learn from mistakes. If we did, surely we could have eliminated the need for war centuries ago. Why would we still have economic depressions if we had really learned from the last ones? I am facinated with all the economic experts on TV today. Where were they before this downturn? We had downturns in the 1980's. Surely they would have learned from those and helped us avoid this one. Alas, man seems locked into behaviors that are as old as history.
Is there hope for the future? I would like to think so. New ideas and new ways of living face us. What I have learned is that man can adapt. Usually it is based on a need to, not on the foresight and willingness to change the future. A system thinker, Russell Ackoff, once spoke about those expecting him to have great insights for the future. (He was 80 at the time.) His comment was, "Whatever we can see clearly about the future we will take steps to prevent from happening". Isn't that what we see today? We know health care is expensive and poorly designed, but the debate and politics seems to trap us into the thoughts and ways of today. No one has really offered a completely new way of providing health care in the future. Modern politicians are bought and paid for (campaign contributions) with money made in the past and today. Those providing it want them to keep us there so they can continue to make money. They are not looking to really change the future.
Nearly everyone answers that question with a yes. Unfortunately, if you really observe behavior
the answer is likely, no. We know we should not repeat our mistakes but our habits, preferences, and avoidance of hard work usually trap us where we are at. What I find even more discouraging is man ( as a biologic entity) also does not learn from mistakes. If we did, surely we could have eliminated the need for war centuries ago. Why would we still have economic depressions if we had really learned from the last ones? I am facinated with all the economic experts on TV today. Where were they before this downturn? We had downturns in the 1980's. Surely they would have learned from those and helped us avoid this one. Alas, man seems locked into behaviors that are as old as history.
Is there hope for the future? I would like to think so. New ideas and new ways of living face us. What I have learned is that man can adapt. Usually it is based on a need to, not on the foresight and willingness to change the future. A system thinker, Russell Ackoff, once spoke about those expecting him to have great insights for the future. (He was 80 at the time.) His comment was, "Whatever we can see clearly about the future we will take steps to prevent from happening". Isn't that what we see today? We know health care is expensive and poorly designed, but the debate and politics seems to trap us into the thoughts and ways of today. No one has really offered a completely new way of providing health care in the future. Modern politicians are bought and paid for (campaign contributions) with money made in the past and today. Those providing it want them to keep us there so they can continue to make money. They are not looking to really change the future.
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