In-Person for The Big Stuff

Ideas and tips to get along and get stuff done----------------------- -April 14, 2024

In-Person Meetings for The Big Stuff

Let’s just get everyone in a room and talk about it. There’s something magic about that, even in this age of magic technology that allows us to talk through screens and collaborate through platforms from places unknown. Indeed, in sharp relief to the alternatives, the in-person meeting is perhaps more magical today than ever.

People are more likely to change their minds in three-dimensional meetings than on two-dimensional screens. I’m not sure why, but I’ve seen it. And felt it. I can feel a shift of mood or energy, a shift of consciousness that it’s hard to feel through a screen. I suppose it’s because I can evaluate body language and facial expressions, as a whole. I can look around a room and see changes in posture, changes in attitudes. When meeting through a screen I cannot look around “the room.” I see only fragments delivered by carefully-pointed cameras.

It’s hard to “read the room” when I can’t see the room, as a whole. And when I can’t read the room it’s hard to know if my views are aligned, or not, or how people are reacting to the views being expressed.

As humans we are incredibly perceptive about ALL that’s happening in a room of people. We’re very impressive; evolved even. We should not sell ourselves short and pretend that a screen-based meeting (two dimensions in a small defined frame) offers nearly the amount of data as an in-person meeting (three-dimensions without limits on where I can look).

I facilitate all kinds of meetings and I get that on-line meetings have value in certain circumstances with certain objectives, absolutely. Yet my favorite meetings are when a group of people with different views get in a room to hear each other. Those are the fun ones; the memorable ones. You know what? I have a very hard time remembering on-line meetings yet I bet I can remember at least one thing about every in-person meeting I’ve ever experienced; perhaps because I “experience” in-person meetings whereas I pretty much “watch” on-line meetings.

Continued and Comments Here

Strategies for Public Input and Engagement

Free Training on Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Sometimes people need to be heard. And it's often in a leader's best interest to hear them. Even if they are angry. Actually, especially if they're angry. But how best to do that?

In this session we're going to discuss strategies for public input and engagement, with respect. How to call people to a meeting with right-sized expectations? How to design a public input agenda? How to give everyone a chance to be heard without letting anyone dominate? How to record, analyze, and actually use the input received? And how to gather public input NOT just in a meeting?

Based on my experience, I will give you my ideas about these and related questions. I will share with you tips and techniques that I have used with success.

And I’m going to ask you to share YOUR tips and techniques. It’s a TALK Show; we’re gonna talk about this. We’re going to learn from each other. And support each other. And after the session I will provide each participant with Highlight Notes from what we discussed, including links to resources.

★ This Wednesday ★

Please share with someone who might like it

When you register you will be emailed a link to the session, and you will also get a reminder just before the session. Should be fun. And educational. I hope you join me.

My Training Talk Shows are always free. Always interactive. Just 50 minutes online.

WEDNESDAY, April 17, 2024, 1pm MaineTime Register Here