The aim today.
Another exploration and more space for reflection – evolving our quality of Life and Leadership through the invested effort.
Gauging where each of us stand today with thoughts, habits, quality of experiences around this topic: discovering differences in our individual standards and working out how to best express and harmonise in communications.
An evergreen one, as long as we continue to live and work in communities, we can keep honing ways to communicate with one another.
The approach.
We look at generally dominant patterns here today, with an emphasis on what we ourselves can improve and positively influence.
Yet, it is worthwhile to understand whether this is a different than usual season for you (calendar entry density maxed out, health recovery, sabbatical or else) where your otherwise preferred patterns, habits, are a little off-center or need extra energy to be maintained.
We shall prevent jumping to quick conclusions, judgement or blame.
Deepening our understanding how the current meeting culture could be better and why we think, feel they're not optimal right now, will prove to be a more fruitful endeavour.
There will be Self-reflection questions as well as a few perspectives (of the infinite) provided.
You can find insights into your preferences and Values by identifying why any of the opinions presented do or do not resonate.
The background.
This share was inspired by various feedbacks, conversations.
Like a recent one with a good friend who's looking at a full calendar, weighing his options how to optimise his time-energy-investments. I thought more of you could be feeling that way, so putting it on the table here.
Along with my experience how our natural standard can be perceived as "high bar" by others; and no matter if we've done a hundred or more projects, the necessity keeps resurfacing: to clarify the most basic definitions around expectations on invested effort, fair workload distribution and what we understand under individual responsibilities. Whether someone is the meeting facilitator, a contributor, an "FYI" or a sponsor.
These next 3 chapters shall inspire insights, also for experiences beyond the meeting context.
Let's find our individual answers to questions and allow ourselves to be inspired and our mindsets to evolve through their diversity.
Reflection points.
How can I embrace the idea that the prior investment, putting thought into clarifying why I ask for time+attention from others to meet (purpose of meetings), or choose to attend or not to attend a meeting (highest and best use of time+energy+experience+skill) reflects both Respect for Self and others?
How can I best respect that investment in me and others?
In that spirit, am I willing to question current quality standards of meetings and share optimisation ideas?
What questions can I ask from organisers and participants to aid effectiveness when meeting parameters are convoluted and blurry? Like: "What is the aim of the meeting? What support do you need? What do you expect decisions on?"
In what way can I convey the benefit of clarity and follow-up to meetings? Looking at them as a continuation of invested effort and the return on these.
How would I describe the current meeting culture?
Some Perspectives.
What, who, when, where, how much etc.
Sometimes in the hurried nose-to-the-grindstone atmosphere we can forget to apply the most basic principles of asking relevant questions – the clarity on which could alleviate much of the individually and collectively experienced stress.
While I generally prefer prepared meetings that are followed up well, a clear agenda, ownership, next steps et cetera, and personally apply that practice – because I've learned the significant benefits and positive impact of them –, we can have cases when we just want to think out loud. Together.
Whatever the case may be, it can aid our choices when we remember how precious of a resource Time is.
When we prepare meetings conscientiously and intentionally, guide them and contribute effectively, then create crystal clarity around the outcomes, actions, timelines, we will be more successfully respecting that resource and not wasting it unnecessarily.
More of my takes – this is also where standards will widely differ:
If it's too much uncertainty around the purpose of a meeting, invest more into preparation until sufficient clarity is reached.
Sometimes an email or a phone call prove to be much better.
If informal input is enough at that stage and it's more about testing initial theories and plans, it may be casual conversations (one to one's) over coffee that helps most.
Attending a meeting when it is clear what our contribution should be.
Any participant can request an agenda and minutes, which are ideally basic for any meeting (meeting recording is not a substitute for these).
Meeting minutes shall be of a quality that serve as an executive summary and make it understandable for any non-participant what conclusions were reached.
Reflection points.
What does Self-discipline mean for me? In what forms does it show up in my habits?
Having the willingness and stamina to invest effort to gain better results? Steering away from suboptimal solutions?
How can I verbalise why the current set-up is not optimal for me? What am I not satisfied with and what works alright?
(full calendar) Investing into my Well-Being and respecting that it looks different for others, while clearly standing for and communicating my non-negotiables?
Am I clear what my non-negotiables are overall and specifically in this current season of Life?
Does it mean negotiating around various standards of work and discipline, even compromise, to suit current degree of capacity for a win-win-win outcome?
How is my level of Awareness on where I'm breaking my Well-Being-standards and on mindsets which undermine my personal effectiveness?
Some Perspectives.
Reduced levels of Self-discipline shall not be a shame source. Instead, it's an indicator which needs individual interpretation.
No clear short- and long-term Vision, overwhelm, not sufficiently reliable habits of reflection, discernment and re-centering, mental/emotional/physical exhaustion, not yet increased Self-/Awareness on the impact of any of these, can all contribute to us slightly "falling apart" and stalling – as an instinctive survival response.
When we are in survival mode, our usual functions like taking ownership, being thorough, having good focus may not be working 100%.
It takes Self-awareness and discipline to recognize when we can't fulfill any of our assumed responsibilities and ask for support, delegate, distribute workload, postpone if needed.
The more we can bring elements onto our conscious decision-making radar, the better we can respond to circumstance and events, instead of falling back to unconscious and disempowered patterns.
Ain't always easy. But the recognition of the need to change tends to be a good start.
Discernment is what you have practiced with all the above questions. An evaluation based on your most deeply cherished Values and Life Priorities and the resulting choices of that process.
Approaching this aspect with questions we can ask ourselves:
How am I balancing my productive action time with replenishment and recharging my mental-emotional-physical-spiritual batteries?
How much am I aware of distinctions in the quality of my experiences when I'm well-rested, inspired, energised versus when I neglect my habits that help me be in top form?
How do I discern which kind of feeling of success am I aiming for? What am I willing to compromise on? Is a compromise acceptable when it's temporary?
What am I giving up and what am I gaining?
How can I relate my personal benefits and levels of Well-Being as a service to my surroundings?
How can I verbalise my understanding on the correlation of my Well-Being, quality of Life, example of Self-discipline and Discernment and the quality of my Leadership?
I trust, this in-depth Self-awareness practice brought revelations that can help accomplish the initial aim: to increase the quality of your experience, your Life and Leadership.
I bring all my learnings into my shares, reflection exercises, Coaching, so that my personal investments and revelations enrich not only my Life, but through my Work all your Lives too.
To explore the opportunity of working together
Reach out via message or head straight to the Coaching Session preparation form.
See you there! T.
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