I am the president of something. I love to see change but it is s-l-o-w. I have to tell you what my pet peeve is, and please don't get offended:
People who talk off topic in a meeting.
Idea: If we have a topic, lets talk about it. If it isn't on the agenda, let's not, k?
I know, I know, I am weird.
So far my strategies have been to say things like "process check: in the interest of time, how much time do we want to spend on this topic?" That works well because people usually say "oh I am done, lets move on."
But how many times can I interrupt a person? Any advice here?
In the interest of time I'm gonna have to say..........wait....what were we talking about?
ReplyDeleteBut srsly, I think this needs to be changed across the board (pun intended). Church mtngs included. Do it!!
Just interrupt and say, "Shut up and listen for a sec."
ReplyDeleteI think church meetings are the worst. In fact, I have a theory about this type of situation. I think that women who have spent some time in the professional world, even if they are currently part of it, are so much more efficient in meetings. Women who have never been to a work meeting are 20 times more likely to see meeting time as a aggregate of catch up with pals time, vent about randomness time, set up a time to hang out later time, and (if there's any time left after that) get something productive done time.
ReplyDeleteAgendas do not seem to phase the second sort of woman. She sees herself as independent from the constraints of such organization and straight-forwardness. I'm clearly not in this category.
In dealing with these free-spirited meeting-goers, I find it useful to have a wingman. That is, one or two other likeminded people who will jump in and call everyone back to order. Since they're not the president, they can be a little more blunt - "I'd like to get back on track discussing ____." Or "I move to table this topic until the next meeting, when it can be added to the agenda and proper attention can be given such an important issue." (You can say that nicely or sarcastically. I vote for the latter.)
I thought the new cool term to say is "put a pin in it." Ya know, "Hey, how about we put a pin in that and get back to it later." No? Oh well.
ReplyDeleteOur YW board meetings last 3 hours. 2 of which are chatting. 1 of which is me chatting. You've made me wake up. Thanks for that.
Krissie has been my wingman/woman in some baaaaad meetings before, that's for sure. I also agree with her theory about working women. I didn't notice it as much until I found out what it was like to actually conduct an efficient meeting that accomplished our goals.
ReplyDeleteMy new policy:
Use my junior high school teaching tactics. If adults are acting like teenagers... they deserve to have me politely redirect 'birdwalking', check up on their homework, and make them write down assignments. I also employ tactics like setting a timer. I redirect chatting to after the meeting, at which point I excuse myself.
p.s. If our YW Board meetings lasted three hours I would be inactive. Or at least not YW Pres.
Sometimes I worry that my quest for efficiency could alienate others. I'm trying to find a good balance. But it sure is hard...
When I was in YW, the president called weekly meetings. We would talk about church for about 10 minutes, but she would always pull the conversation to family problems, gossip (which I do love, just not at a late night meeting when I could be doing non-church related things), and new dinner ideas. We had to finally have a talk with her, and no joke, brought a timer. SOOOOO much better after that.
ReplyDeleteI agree!
ReplyDeleteRight now I'm a president of something and do something I didn't do last time round: I make up a printed agenda and give everyone a copy. Somehow having the topics of discussion listed and in front of each person makes it much easier to stay on task. I just start talking about the next item with no segue whatsoever.
Amen, sista. Best approach I ever saw was our bishop's in Seattle. Before PEC actually began, he'd ask each person what he/she wanted to address that day and make a quick list. When all had stated he'd look at the first person to his right and say, "Go" and each would report. If anyone tried to deviate from his/her original listed item, he'd ask if if could be solved outside the meeting (usually could) and then move on. Meetings lasted 20 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how to handle this problema when NOT leading the meeting, however. When you're just a helpless, trapped participant. Still working on that...
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