{"id":88907,"date":"2015-03-02T08:00:18","date_gmt":"2015-03-02T14:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=88907"},"modified":"2015-02-18T18:58:06","modified_gmt":"2015-02-19T00:58:06","slug":"should-you-call-that-meeting-the-fine-art-of-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=88907","title":{"rendered":"Should you call that meeting? : The fine art of meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Should you call that meeting? : The fine art of meetings<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

by Katherine Kimball Adelberg, Senior Assistant,\u00a0INALJ Michigan<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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\"meeting\"<\/a>My formal education gave me a great background in theory, but there were many aspects of librarianship that I learned on the job. Handling a screaming toddler, or worse, a screaming parent. Negotiating competing personalities in the workplace. Recently I\u2019ve been working on a small but critical aspect of management: successfully organizing and facilitating a meeting.<\/p>\n

Why focus on meetings? Shouldn\u2019t we be thinking about ways to avoid them?<\/b><\/p>\n

As a state government employee, I have some experience with meeting fatigue. However, in my previous work environment, staff never met at all. Working in a busy neighborhood public library with limited staff, we rarely spent time off the desk. Our manager would attend meetings, talk to one person (not necessarily the same person each time), and gradually news about policy changes would trickle down through the staff until it reached the part-timers. Holding quick 10-minute meetings at the beginning of each shift \u00a0would have been much more efficient and ultimately less maddening for staff that often felt they were one step behind.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s an extreme case. Aren\u2019t most meetings unnecessary?<\/b><\/p>\n

Unnecessary meetings happen every day. When it\u2019s your turn to manage a project, ask yourself: what\u2019s the best way to get this done? Do people need to get to know each other? A meeting (preferably in person) is probably your best bet. Are you approving changes to a document? That could probably be done over email. Are you making an announcement? A short standing meeting<\/a> or a well-timed email could be all you need. There are many tools in your arsenal; hold formal meetings only when they\u2019re the best option.<\/p>\n

OK, some meetings are unavoidable. Why are they so boring?<\/b><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a sure-fire way to ensure your co-workers or collaborators are bored to tears: organize a meeting, but don\u2019t mention why. Start with a long preamble outlining a vague, half-formed idea. Don\u2019t ask any questions. Hold it right after lunch (I learned this one the hard way).<\/p>\n

Unfocused meetings are boring meetings. In the spirit of Ranganathan\u2019s Fourth Law<\/a>, it\u2019s up to us to save the time of the meeting attendee. Clearly stating both the purpose of the meeting and what you hope to accomplish demonstrates your respect for your co-workers\u2019 time and effort. Knowing why you\u2019re in the room (or online) together helps everybody stay on track.<\/i><\/p>\n

What about those meetings when one person won\u2019t stop complaining?<\/b><\/p>\n

This situation is the most delicate. You\u2019ve developed a great project, and now it\u2019s time to involve other people. You\u2019ve clearly communicated the reason for your meeting and what you hope to accomplish. The stage is set for a productive meeting, but when you\u2019re dealing with other people, anything can happen.<\/p>\n

Handling these situations takes practice; no one is perfect. I find it helpful to think about the STATE model<\/a> from the book Crucial Conversations<\/a>. STATE stands for:<\/p>\n