Make Meetings Better

This not only applies to the workplace, but also your project teams. My wife’s project team had the worst problem with meeting on Saturday mornings to get work done, but instead spent the time gossiping and talking instead of working. She would leave the meetings feeling like her time away from her family was wasted and nothing got done.

So here they are in two parts: The three rules of meeting etiquette and the five rules of engagement for effective meetings.

Three rules of meeting etiquette

• Every meeting has a start time and an end time. That means it starts on time and ends on time. If someone is chronically late to meetings, the others must bring peer pressure to bear on that individual. If most of a company’s executives exhibit this trait, then find another company. It’s a sign of immaturity and disrespect for others.
• Every meeting is run by someone who is responsible for every aspect of the meeting including agenda, attendance, punctuality, and documentation. That person keeps everyone on topic and moves the meeting along using the methods described below.
• Key decisions that are reached during the meeting regarding strategies, plans or objectives should be published by whoever ran the meeting within one day. That also goes for follow-up or action required and an owner for each item.

Five rules of engagement for effective meetings

• Listening is good. Gratuitous speech is bad. Silence means consent. Don’t chime in just to hear your own voice.
• Presenting new ideas or brainstorming is good. Knocking down another’s idea is bad. There’s a time for reaching consensus.
• Attack the problem or issue, not the person you disagree with. “I don’t agree with you” is okay, but “I think you’re an idiot” isn’t.
• Stay on topic, but don’t beat a dead horse. Save other subjects for other meetings. Use a “parking lot” for important issues that may need to be revisited at a later date.
• Be open, honest, and forthcoming. Don’t hold back, bullshit, or sugar-coat issues. This is especially critical in meetings where key decisions are based on the information presented.

Don’t just follow these rules yourself; teach them to others. Present them at meetings you conduct. Make work life easier and less frustrating for all your fellow employees and help to make your company more successful. It’ll pay off big-time in the long run.

Soft Answers, Volume, and Motive

Why do we so often raise our voices in anger but not in love? These and other philosophical questions answered.

I’ve become so intrigued with the proverb that says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). I’m convinced that there is more here than a reminder not to yell at one another.

The previous proverb (14:35) reminds us that anger isn’t always wrong. Solomon provided balance when he said, “The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, but his wrath is against him who causes shame.” At its best, angry emotions show that we care enough to be upset when someone or something we value is in danger. This is like the anger of the king (14:35) who becomes emotional when one of his servants acts without regard for the needs of others.

Anger is like a guard dog. It can help us protect ourselves, our property, and those who need our help. But a quick temper is like a junkyard dog. Regardless of whether we call him “Nero,” “Porkchop,” or “Sunrise,” he will act on his own instincts. Without training, fencing, or a short leash, he will bite a friend as quickly as he will attack a thief.

Proverbs 15:1 isn’t just about volume control. It’s warning us about harsh responses that, even when whispered, awaken anger because they’re spoken as a threat. “Soft” words tend to defuse anger, regardless of their volume, because they’re an offer of safety.