Comments on: Meeting Anxiety Disorder http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/ news, notes, & tips about spirituality and religion in the workplace Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:48:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Ms. Theologian http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-392 Ms. Theologian Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:39:31 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-392 Thanks, Dennis. I was just writing a post to bring up these meeting issues again. :) Thanks, Dennis. I was just writing a post to bring up these meeting issues again. :)

]]> By: Dennis http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-387 Dennis Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:11:54 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-387 I've been meeting to reply but haven't had the time. My company has a very strong culture around meetings that really reduces this sort of problem. I can give you more detail if you want, but basically, it breaks down like this: 1. State the purpose of the meeting in the invite. Usually meetings break down to three types: decision, informational, and status/collaborative. Decision meetings imply a decision will be made either by an individual or group. Informational means someone is educating others. Status meetings are regular meetings that enable teams to collaborate. 2. Let people know their roles before the meeting. List them in the invite. Tell them why they are there and what is expected of them. One person should be leading the meeting. Doing this ensures you have who you need in the meeting and no more. 3. Set an agenda, with times. As an example, for a 30 minute informational meeting it might be: Intro: 5 minutes Presentation: 15 minutes Questions: 10 minutes Ask an attendee to monitor the time and give a warning when it's time to move on. For your 1:1 meetings with employees, our course of action is that the employee owns regular 1:1 meetings with their manager. This could be any frequency from weekly to monthly, but the employee sets the length (30 or 60 minutes) and agenda. There's less fear when they're in charge. The unfortunate thing at my company is that the discipline has declined over my time of employment. This has resulted in some of the complaints you mention. I’ve been meeting to reply but haven’t had the time. My company has a very strong culture around meetings that really reduces this sort of problem. I can give you more detail if you want, but basically, it breaks down like this:

1. State the purpose of the meeting in the invite. Usually meetings break down to three types: decision, informational, and status/collaborative. Decision meetings imply a decision will be made either by an individual or group. Informational means someone is educating others. Status meetings are regular meetings that enable teams to collaborate.

2. Let people know their roles before the meeting. List them in the invite. Tell them why they are there and what is expected of them. One person should be leading the meeting. Doing this ensures you have who you need in the meeting and no more.

3. Set an agenda, with times. As an example, for a 30 minute informational meeting it might be:
Intro: 5 minutes
Presentation: 15 minutes
Questions: 10 minutes
Ask an attendee to monitor the time and give a warning when it’s time to move on.

For your 1:1 meetings with employees, our course of action is that the employee owns regular 1:1 meetings with their manager. This could be any frequency from weekly to monthly, but the employee sets the length (30 or 60 minutes) and agenda. There’s less fear when they’re in charge.

The unfortunate thing at my company is that the discipline has declined over my time of employment. This has resulted in some of the complaints you mention.

]]> By: Ms. Theologian http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-337 Ms. Theologian Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:26:43 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-337 Naw, I don't mean you're scary! But I think there's a lot going on at a subconscious level with meetings and alienation and connecting to others. I think that's why the behavior seems a little nutsy on the surface. Naw, I don’t mean you’re scary! But I think there’s a lot going on at a subconscious level with meetings and alienation and connecting to others. I think that’s why the behavior seems a little nutsy on the surface.

]]> By: GhostGirl http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-336 GhostGirl Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:11:12 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-336 I forgot to mention, if it's a one-on-one meeting, there is the additional question: "Are we still meeting?" I don't think I'm particularly scary. Most of the time these meetings are routine. My theory is that they go to so few meetings, and meetings are often considred "management stuff," that when there is a meeting they must attend, it's a really big deal. I personally hate meetings, and always have, so I try to think of them as little as possible. ;-) I forgot to mention, if it’s a one-on-one meeting, there is the additional question: “Are we still meeting?”

I don’t think I’m particularly scary. Most of the time these meetings are routine. My theory is that they go to so few meetings, and meetings are often considred “management stuff,” that when there is a meeting they must attend, it’s a really big deal.

I personally hate meetings, and always have, so I try to think of them as little as possible. ;-)

]]> By: Ms. Theologian http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-333 Ms. Theologian Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:05:47 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-333 I think that there is often a fundamental sense of alienation from self and others in the modern workplace and meetings provide an opportunity to connect with others, which is both needed and scary. That's my professional opinion. I think that there is often a fundamental sense of alienation from self and others in the modern workplace and meetings provide an opportunity to connect with others, which is both needed and scary. That’s my professional opinion.

]]> By: Chalicechick http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-330 Chalicechick Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:42:11 +0000 http://survivingtheworkday.com/2007/10/24/meeting-anxiety-disorder/#comment-330 If it is a one-on-one meeting, I'm usually at least partially convinced that I'm in trouble. If it is a one-on-one meeting, I’m usually at least partially convinced that I’m in trouble.

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