By Emily Winslow, JVA Consulting
Planning, listening, and transparent communication is my new mantra. Often I am asked to sit in on meetings to document systems and processes in order to determine where innovation is possible and how we can work more effectively to meet our clients’ needs.
Even though taking the time to work through preparation for meetings can seem mundane, it is essential toward ensuring a successful process. Understanding that preparation and planning comes in many forms is also necessary. This can be as simple as charting out a visual agenda for a meeting to ensuring that you have prompting, open-ended questions prepared to keep moving the meeting forward and sticking to schedule.
As the resident meeting human typewriter, I have the ability to listen and absorb the information that gets shared during meetings. It is important that those involved in the meeting engage in active listening and check in with each other to ensure all those involved are on the same page. It is surprising how this step can be over-looked by facilitators due to time constraints and the importance of addressing all meeting agenda items.
Transparent communication often is under-emphasized, but is crucial to the success of any meeting. Developing trust through direct and clear communication is essential in creating a positive working relationship and accomplishing meeting goals. All meeting participants must work together to accomplish this, or the meeting will be a waste.
Putting in the time to properly prepare, using active listening skills, and ensuring transparent communication are the building blocks for successful meetings. Perhaps it’s not re-imagining meeting design after all, but conducting meetings more purposefully to ensure everyone walks away satisfied and excited.
Well said…
The importance of planning is not well understood or dismissed by many people. Planning is a process of deliberate preparation. Although – and because – any plan becomes obsolete as soon as it is put into action, planning is critical for efficiency and effectiveness.
Communication is a collaborative process that requires active engagement and commitment by all participants. Hearing is not the same as listening; failure to actively listen precludes the possibility of accurate understanding.
Every purposive organization needs to nurture a culture of conscious and conscientious attention to practices of planning, listening, and transparent communication.