Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Agenda 0-60

Here is my dilemma: I have 8 items on an agenda I just created for a meeting with my client-committee that starts at 6:00 tonight. I have to leave by 7:00 or I miss my already once rescheduled haircut.

I believe that each item must be addressed sequentially, or the meeting stops. e.g. if they no progress has been made on the part of the Owner to obtain the required builder's risk insurance then there is no sense in sending a letter of intent to the contractor to get his crew mobilized. No big deal right . . . but there are 8 such items.

Each item on my list is likely at the very top of someone else's agenda that they will likely be unable to get out of their head until it is addressed. Everyone else at the meeting is the "client".

I plan to start the meeting immediately, announce that I have 8 items, that each item is important and must be addressed, and that I have to leave in exactly 60 minutes, so I would really like their help to move the agenda forward as quickly as possible.

By establishing a goal, and by putting them in a position of partial responsibility, my hope is that they will stay alert, make quick decisions, and share input in as brief a way as possible.

We'll see what happens. As some of you know some Baptist Pastors, and church committee volunteers can sometimes be a little well . . . . tangential seems to be P.C. enough.

Any bets?

1 comment:

Steve Fredlund said...

There is a fine line between advancing an agenda and making sure the discussion that needs to be had is had. I'm still working to develop that skill, and it is a skill. Many people have styles that require them to be heard and if you cut them off too quickly, they will not feel satisfied even if their issue was resolved. 8 issues in 60 minutes is very aggressive, but of course I don't know the world you live in very well.

I do think you are wise to lay it out there up-front because it does create ownership from them to be part of the problem or solution and it becomes much more self-policing rather than leader-policing.

Why don't you just cut your own hair or give me 10 bucks and I'll do it... later.