The SCN Encourager – Thursday, January 17, 2013

What do meetings and school safety have in common?

I wish I had the guts and was creative enough to “tease” you with the answer to the above question. But I know the answer won’t surprise you – even though it did me. (Insert any “day late and dollar short” reference here. It would fit perfectly.) 

While we all know that school safety (in every aspect) is a constant top priority topic in our work, I never would have guessed that the whole topic of “meetings” is high on our list as well. In the recent comments I’ve received, it seems like 95.66% of us are leaving one meeting to race to yet another scheduled meeting of some kind. Even when we catch a break-in-the-action or just go to lunch, we frequently need to rush back to a meeting. Meetings monopolize our calendars.

In coming to grips with this, my initial reaction toggled between “big deal” or “so what?” Why embrace anything before taking a hardline defensive position first? That’s my motto. 

I never would’ve guessed that meetings were so, so . . . always on our minds. (Willy Nelson obviously didn’t know this, either. So I’m not alone.) It seems like the quality of the meetings or workshops we attend is something we continually mentally measure. And then we talk about the “good or the bad” later out in the hallway, in the restroom, or walking back to our cars. After a meeting, we all know the difference between worthwhile and a gigantic waste of time. No rubric required. (Remember now, folks, we’re on the subject of meetings here – not emails from me! Please stay focused . . .)

So while the spotlight is on the topic of meetings, what are the key characteristics that productive meetings have? Try this link on for size. Michael Hyatt is a now leadership champion, coach, and author. He is the former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. His “7 Rules” are brief and insightful.

Tom Page, SCN managing editor