Re: text production process

[Tom Storer <tstorer_tw -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Andrew Plato said:

> ...and eat up all sorts of time. Why work when there

> are MEETINGS to be had!

<chortle> I understand this exasperation with
meeting-itis. However, especially in larger
organizations, too few meetings can be worse than too
many. Information has to be shared, decisions agreed
to; relegating this to hallway conversations and email
is no solution. In any case, not an efficient one, in
my experience. It can get certain things done but
prevents the synergy and group communication that
*well-planned and well-conducted* meetings provide.

The problem is that people so often call meetings and
conduct them without adequately judging their utility,
defining their purpose, or controlling their flow.
Rather than saying, "Right, we've decided we need to
come up with a plan for X. Jane, you're responsible
for X, so come up with a plan and submit it," or "Joe,
we need to contact the legal department for advice on
our obligations here. You're assigned the task of
doing that and telling me the results," the organizer
will join a roomful of people in meandering arguments
about what the plan for X should be or what *they*
think legal requirements are and how to meet them...
as the clock ticks and ticks and ticks and the meeting
eventually ends in disarray with no one sure what they
should do next.

But if meetings are called only when they will truly
help a project advance, and when they are conducted
efficiently, politely but ruthlessly halting all
off-topic discussions, inappropriate debate and
blather, then they're very good.

Of course, many meetings are called just because
someone is supposed to do something with a project and
has no clear focus; having meetings provides the
illusion of working. That kind of meeting is the bane
of the workplace.

I realize I've just made an "if-by-whiskey" speech! 


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