Mindful Meetings = Results and Gratification

Beginning - Middle - End.  A long time ago, I organized my meetings with this structure.  It accomplished two things - 1. Gave order to the meeting and 2. Allowed me to the opportunity to feel productive.

The Beginning - Setting the tone and creating the framework are important to give the participants clarity and confidence that the meeting will be productive.  The purpose and size of the meeting will dictate how I set the tone and create a framework:

• Need an icebreaker?
• Need visuals?
• Need to update from a prior meeting or experience "Why are we here?"
• What exercise and opening remarks will encourage participation from group? "What is the plan and what are expectations for this meeting?"

The Middle - Meetings should no longer be frontal presentations.  Meetings should be a verb - people are meeting, interacting, discussing, planning, thinking and working together.  I look around at failed meetings and I see participants on their phones playing games, checked out, talking to each other, lost  in their own thoughts and it frustrates me.  This is the critical portion of the meeting and all need to be engaged.   

• What documents/visuals/tools will encourage conversation?
• Which participants can present and help ignite creativity and results?
• What will motivate the group to foster collegial partnerships?

The End - Every meeting needs to end with the next steps.  I try to link every meeting to the one before and the one I plan will follow.  

• Clearly state results and review important issues that were addressed in the meeting.
• Highlight the ideas that were generated from this meeting.
• Determine the next steps as a group and put them in writing (post it board).
• Give positive feedback and thank everyone for participating.
• After the meeting, send email with gratitude and recap.

Fostering positive feeling among colleagues helps the individuals be more productive and nurtures creative collaboration.  Think big, dream big - every day, with every meeting.

Mindful Management

Over the past four years, my Shabbat meditation practice spills over into my work and management.  And really, all these opportunities to learn mindfulness and to study Torah have given me strength and tools to be a strong employee, a thoughtful partner to my colleagues, and a firm and encouraging manager.  As a supervisor, I try to follow the "growth mindset" as described in Dr. Carol Dweck's book Mindset.  I wrote the post Mindset will enhance your life over 3 years ago and it has stuck with me.

I love what I do both professionally and as a volunteer.  I realize that for some people, coming to work is literally their job and when the imaginary whistle blows, they are out of the office and not thinking about it again until they walk in at 8:30am the next morning (or whatever their hours are).  I'm not like that.  I want to know more - what else is out there that can help us be a better team, what kind of speakers will interest my donors, what are other organizations doing to address the same issues and who can inspire me to think more creatively regarding time and project management.

Often in meditation and Torah study, I'll think, "I can use this in my staff meeting." My learning and personal growth in deepening my Jewish spirituality has helped my find balance in my work.  Throughout my career, I have been supervised by a wide variety of managers, all with different personalities and styles.  From all of them, I have learned how to incorporate the best of their styles and learn from their mistakes. 

While there are so many books about professional development, take a moment to find a class or two on mindfulness.  It will help you be more reflective in all areas of your life and will enhance your participation in your professional circles.

Maybe it is time for a wider discussion about mindful management and an opportunity for us to learn together.  Stay tuned as I develop this.