MAKING EVERY MEETING MATTER
'Is it really necessary?'
That's the first question to ask about any meeting. If there isn't a really good reason for getting people together in person then why not find another way to do the work - via email, Skype, concall? Because when people do take time out to meet the experience should be as creative, useful and time-efficient as possible.
THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR MEETING
Every meeting has a structure, whether implicit or explicit. Most regular meetings follow a structure using an agenda to arrange the topics and the understood hierarchy to do everything else. Which means that we can get in a rut, following established patterns of behaviour with our colleagues and bosses. This does not often produce new ideas, enthusiasm, commitment.
WHO GETS TO SPEAK?
On average 30% of the people in a meeting take up most of the discussion time. So that most meetings fail to capitalise on the ideas and thoughts of up to 70% of the attendees.
HOW DO WE GET THE BEST OUT OF EVERYONE?

By recognising that meetings can be different, with more energy and focus, and by taking steps to make that happen

By acknowledging that when a group of people meet to discuss new ideas and make decisions they are equal as thinkers, even if they are in a organisational hierarchy, and that it's important to get a contribution from everyone

By understanding that by paying attention to everyone in turn we get the best ideas in the shortest time: we get shorter, smarter meetings

THE IDEAL MEETING FORMAT = BEST RESULTS

This is disciplined, even rigorous: introducing these key principles to your meetings will make them more generative, more interesting and more cost-effective than they have ever been.

This is time that you take out of other duties and priorities: time you want to justify in terms of results. How can we define the results? Here are some of the comments often made about this style of meeting:

New ideas were generated during the meeting
New actions were recognised and owned
Good communication and interaction between colleagues
Interest and attention - being 'in the moment': getting everything done
Assumptions were addressed and challenged, progress was made

Managing Director, Major Short-term Insurance Broker:

'There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that those meetings have produced I would say the best results of any meetings I've been in, it's been a total change. It's been a real eye opener for me...I've been running meetings for years and years and years and I've never experienced the feeling of success coming out of meetings that I've felt coming out of these meetings in a Thinking Environment.'
(interview from Emily Havers' Masters Research thesis, 2008)

FACILITATION WITH THINK IT THROUGH

When you choose to facilitate in a Thinking Environment the meeting will improve in many ways. And the positive impact of this new way of being in a meeting means that it's something that many people will learn from and want to repeat in the future. Which is a significant benefit.

When everyone commits to the key principles of paying attention without interrupting, to taking turns and to listening to the end of ideas (always on the basis of being succinct in return) they learn quickly how much more can be done in the time available. And they want to repeat the experience.

The format is relevant to Board meetings, creative meetings, staff meetings -

all and any meetings that matter.

Advance preparation is intensive, and includes the creation of agenda questions and

input from all participants.

Rates vary to include half and full days.
Individual rates apply to Corporate, Public and Private Sector clients.

For further information about Facilitation and Making Meetings Matter please contact us through the Contact page here on the website, or call Ruth McCarthy directly on 07776242005
.