Notes about effective meetings with Laura Lipton

Laura Lipton - leading groups. 

If meetings are used to dispense information you are wasting people's time. Meetings should be used to process and discuss information. 

A skilled group leader recognizes the needs and wants of others first and puts their own needs ands wants last. 

A skilled group leader is like a zoologist who recognizes the inherent characteristics of all group members and celebrates the diversity of each. 

To present is to teach and transform group members by enriching and extending their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. 

Successful meetings are outcome driven not activity driven. 

Skilled leaders craft presentations that help group members transform information into ideas and ideas into action. 

In high performing groups expertise comes ultimately from the group not the province of any one person. 

Leaders should save a place at the table for themselves, but to be equal with the group and not perceived as taking a "one-up" position relative to the rest. 

If you are implementing a certain strategy but can't explain why then most likely it is not an effective strategy

It is always the group's group not your group. 

The goals of a grou p should not be focused on the leader but the group. The leader should be implementing strategies and conversations to create the group more effective not the leader. 

Planning with punitive action (seating plans) will get you resistance instead of engagement. 

If meetings are comfortable then you are probably not talking about the right stuff. 

You can't have a blueprint for change when dealing with people. There are no nice right angles with people. 

Leaders should be aware of any biases they have on a topic and allow the group to create their own view. By asking the right questions and you can always get the answers You want. 

Before an individual can embrace new ways, unlearning, at a variety of levels is necessary. 

Instead of worrying about having "measurable" outcomes or goals start focusing on looking for evidence of learning or goals..

If when you leave a meeting you don't feel challenged you have just wasted your time 

If your activity is not task orientated, it is just fluff and wasting time. 

 We are living with a high autonomy culture but have too much mandated collaboration. 

Just because we are talking about the same issue doesn't mean we are collaborating. 

The work we do outside of our classroom is just as important and critical as to the work we do inside the classroom. 

Too many meetings are seen as a place where minutes are taken and hours lost. 

Provide the agenda for the meeting before to allow members to reflect and create thought on the topics before the meeting. 

Effective groups take collective responsibility. 

The process of a meeting should not be created to make everyone feel good but to challenge and be purpose orientated. 

Skillful leaders focus more energy on learning and the learners, less energy on the content and on themselves as speakers.

False collaboration may build resentment or become a disguised presentation.

Listening is more than just waiting for your turn to talk.  

7 premises of effective groups:
1) groups develop, and their development can be influenced. 
2) human behavior has a biological and social legacy. 
3) there are predictable dynamics in groups 
4) work sessions should be learning sessions. 
5) investing energy in design saves energy in delivery. 
6) shaping the discourse determines direction. 
7) you can't lead where you won't go.