Why most public meetings suck
Why most public meetings suck
Guest writer: Bill Palladino
Part I
Over the past year I’ve attended more than fifty public meetings in my community and in others around the country. As a professional consultant and facilitator, it is often my job to be at these gatherings, watching, waiting, occasionally speaking up, and otherwise forcing myself to stay awake.
I’ve become an ardent student of the process and content that make meetings of any size work. Far too often the meetings and events I witness lack structure and clarity of purpose. This tends to leave attendees feeling confused or dare I say… unfulfilled.
The Judge’s Score is…
How we perceive our local governments begins the moment we approach & enter the building. What does Traverse City's Boardman Ave. building say to you when you walk up? (photo: Gary L Howe)
I’ve created a fantasy world for myself where at the end of each meeting, I imagine the entire audience holding up scorecards to rate the meeting, like some nightmarish Olympic skating event. In my experience it is rare for any meeting to rate a podium level score. Most public meetings, those hosted by governmental or nonprofit bodies, would leave the ice in tears and disgrace.
The equivalent of falling during a simple compulsory exercise in the rink.
One of the most frequent failings of meetings is that their organizers – and I’m using that term loosely – don’t seem to have a handle on the meetings’ true intent. Often meetings are held because… well, because…they’ve always held them.
The largest planning and emphasis is typically on pushing through the agenda, not on having everyone in attendance understand why or for what purpose the meeting was held.
Routine
Real consideration for public participation is critical to the success of communities in our new global economy. Leaders can no longer ignore or minimize public participation.
Author Daniel Pink has a profound quote that I think works well as the most fundamental, overarching rule for creating meetings that actually matter. He says:
The most dangerous word in the English language is routine.”
Break out of the routine.
Tomorrow’s part II will list 10 ways to provide valued public participation in a public meeting.
Through MyWHaT, we’ll also introduce two new tools that will up you be that Olympic judge.
The public meeting scorecard (sneak peek at link) and an open online survey that will help us keep track of how meetings are going.
How will your community perform? Will it get high points and be able wear a medal, or will it walk off the ice in shame?
___
Please subscribe to this BLOG’s feed and pass this link on to a friend.
Reader's Comments