The lowest hanging fruit left hanging …
One of the most common questions I put to groups from any sector is; “Hands up those who have wasted time in a meeting recently”?
I have never had less than 90% of attendees put their hands up as ripples of nervous laughter sweep the room.
Meetings are an organisation’s lowest hanging fruit in terms of design, collaboration, communication, strategy, etc, because we have the key components required for good communication present.
- We are face to face where the best possible communication can occur.
- Have can have the right people present by virtue of invitation.
- We can communicate, incorporate feedback and adjust in real time.
Yet ….. our track record with effective meetings remains poor.
Our most valuable commodity and our most expensive, is our labour. So, perhaps in our efforts to reduce costs and still maintain our service delivery we heed to think about the figures involved. On a weekly basis, what are the numbers of our staff that attend meetings and for what duration? Once known, we can start to calculate how much our meetings cost in terms of labour. In a small organisation the cost is substantial. In a large organisation that cost can be astronomical.
If meetings could be reduced in duration by 20-30% and conducted with a greater efficiency that the current versions, how much would this save your organisation?
Many organisations have achieved such efficiencies and in term benefited from substantial flow-on effects. These organisations have done so by incorporating parallel thinking into their interactions and in doing so ensured greater focus, process and subject matter exploration into their meeting spaces.
One of the very best ways of ensuring meetings are reduced in time and increased in impact is via the use of the parallel thinking of the Six Thinking Hats. Apart from being a method to improve thinking across all areas of the business, the Six Thinking Hats are structured and easily applied method for ensuring the greatest value is gained from time away from the desk in meetings.
Those interested in learning how grab that low hanging fruit and driving greater meeting efficiency and impact, can do so by joining us in either Canberra, Sydney or Melbourne over the coming months. Full course and registration details are in the links below.
Melbourne, Six Thinking Hats Training – Aug 31
Sydney, Six Thinking Hats Training – Sept 5
Sydney, Six Thinking Hats Certifications for New Trainers – Sept 5, 6 & 7
Canberra, Six Thinking Hats Training – Oct 17
Canberra, Six Thinking Hats Certification for New Trainers – Oct 17, 18 & 19
All enquiries can be directed to Frank on 0400 109727 or at think.quick@me.com
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