Why Meetings?

I just finished How to Raise an Elephant, the latest in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. As I have found with each of the 21 books, it did not disappoint as a source of reflection on human nature.  

               Why is it, Mma,” she asked, “that the best way of putting off a decision is to have a meeting about it?”

Why indeed? How often have I left a meeting feeling that there has been a lot of discussion, but no action? How often have I felt that nothing has been accomplished and dreaded repeating the process? However, as someone who has participated in and chaired countless meetings, I also recognize their value.

As a leader in higher education, I understood that faculty had chosen careers in academia because, in part, they liked the world of ideas. And there were certainly times that I appreciated the exchange of ideas for their own sake. The discussion was engaging, even if there was no discernable outcome. At other times, because it was my job to execute a course of action, I was frustrated.  I had to remind myself that even if the result was not immediate, the ideas expressed in meetings added to the creativity of the ultimate solution.  I also hoped that giving others the opportunity to hear my thinking would demystify the administrative decision-making process, so often portrayed as made in isolation from the rest of the campus.

Meetings were also an opportunity to learn about colleagues. I could watch their expressions and body language, see who participated and who held back. (I realize that this benefit has been circumscribed by Zoom meetings. It is harder to judge affect in a small rectangle, although a switched off camera is probably a good indication!)  I often struggled to find the appropriate balance between personal catching up and the items on the agenda, recognizing that human connection was as important as action. It wasn’t just a chance for me to get to know others, but for them to get to know me, so that they could trust my leadership. No matter what the topic, meetings helped me identify allies and opponents, as well as potential leaders. They were a good check on the validity of hearsay.

My challenge now, as a volunteer board member for several organizations, is to remember these lessons about the value of meetings.