When You Can't Get a Volunteer Recorder

We've been looking at the role of the team recorder in the last two days. You may want to read those posts first.

Today we'll look at a technique and a ground rule for getting a recorder when no one wants to volunteer. When I'm leading a meeting, I first ask if someone will volunteer to be our recorder. If no one volunteers I then look someone in the eye and ask them directly: "'Sam', would you be good enough to record for us? I sure would appreciate it." In my experience it is a rare situation when the person says "no," even though it is quite common that the person asked does show a bit of reluctance. But I have a ground rule that tends to make the assigned recorder much more comfortable in their role.

As soon as the assigned recorder accepts their role, I turn to the rest of the team and say: "Thanks 'Sam'. Now here's the ground rule for the rest of you. If anyone criticizes Sam's handwriting, spelling. or any other aspect of his recording, 'Sam' gets to turn over his recorder job to them."

That usually gets everyone's attention, cooperation, and appreciation for "Sam;" and generally eliminates any laughter, comments or poking fun at "Sam."

One other thought. If the meeting goes on for awhile and "Sam" is publicly recording (on a flip chart or white board for example), I will ask for another recorder at some point. If I don't get a volunteer then, I will look someone else directly in the eye and ask them to take over for "Sam."

About Pelleyblog: We focus on topics of interest to supervisors, group leaders, foremen, department managers, project managers, team leaders, assistant managers, associate managers, office managers, nurse managers, crew leaders, unit managers, and other first-line managers. But managers at all levels, and people interested in management topics are welcome and are encouraged to join us.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Now What?

Joy posted a comment to the April 16 post: "My Boss is Late to Meetings." She said "In my organization, it is indeed senior management that has set an established corporate culture of "meetings start when we arrive, not when they are called for". I do not report directly to any of them. This behavior has been going on for 10+ years. It diminishes the value of every person who is prompt for meetings, and also punishes those prompt people for properly managing their schedules. It has made me not want to waste my time with meetings. Any thoughts?"


My response: Hi Joy --As discussed in the April 16 post, rank has its privilege. Thus, unless you have a very strong rapport with people at the very top of the organization, there's not much you (by yourself) can do to change the culture created by senior managers. But there are things you can do:

1. Make sure you set a good example by starting and stopping your meetings on time.

2. If you have a good rapport with your boss and peers, see if you can encourage them to start and stop their meetings on time.

3. If your attendance in a meeting called by senior managers (or anyone else for that matter) is not required, see if you can be excused (in a politically correct way of course).

4. When your attendance is required and you think the meeting will start late, bring some in-between time work with you. Click here to see the "in-Between Time" post of January 30, 2009.

In any case, as painful as it may be, make sure you are on-time to every meeting. That sends a message that, as a leader, you will always model the appropriate behavior. And, by bringing in-between-time work with you, you demonstrate your ability to manage your time and to make the best of any situation presented to you.

About Pelleyblog. This blog covers topics of interest to managers, particularly those at the first-line supervisor level. Topics include handling difficult employees, leadership, counseling, coaching, problem solving, lean thinking, motivation and time management.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

A Culture of Promptness

Yesterday's post dealt with ending meetings on time. After I wrote that post, I was thinking how actual meeting start time varies from company to company. For example, I work with one company in Fairfield, CT whose people are always early for classes. If a program starts at 8:00, everyone is there ready to go at 7:55. They tell me their meetings in the company start on time as well.

On the other hand, I work with a company in Norwalk, CT whose people are never on time for a class. If a class is scheduled to start at 8:00, you can bet at 8:00 there will be no one there. The first time I did a program for the company (at a local college), I began to worry that I was in the wrong classroom. It was 15 minutes past start time and no one was there. The first person arrived soon thereafter and the class started 30 minutes late. I learned that meetings in their company usually start late as well.

I believe actual meeting start times are governed by the company culture. If the culture is such that meetings always start on time, people tend to be there and ready to go at the scheduled time. On the other hand, if meetings always start 10 minutes late, people tend to arrive 8 to 12 minutes late. Why? Because they know meetings start late. They know people who arrive on time are penalized waiting for others to show up. So most people hold back and use the normal delay time to do other things.

If you want a culture of promptness for your meetings, learn to shut the door and start on time, whether everyone is there or not. As people straggle in, don't be quick to stop and update them. Some groups have ground rules covering lateness. Some groups exclude people (shut out, lock the door) after a certain time. Some groups have a "penalty" for lateness (but only if everyone agrees).

I once did a two day seminar for salespeople from around the country. At every break they would start making their phone calls. Invariably many were late coming back to the seminar. Soon some participants suggested a fine of $1.00 for the first 5 minutes and $2.00 for each additional five minutes a person was late; the money to be donated to The Salvation Army (as it was the Christmas holiday season). While promptness did improve, we still collected a good sum of money for the charity.



About me: Before becoming a full time educator, my career experiences included being vice president of a consulting firm, vice president - finance of a publishing company, vice president - sales support services for a manufacturing company and vice president - operations for a distribution company. As a full time educator working principally in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts I am pleased to share my experiences and business philosophies with managers at all levels.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.

Stop on Time

Consult any source on how to run a good meeting, and this rule will always be included: Start on Time! But many sources overlook a less common, but far more powerful rule: End on Time!

Here's how you do it: At the beginning of the meeting, announced to everyone that the meeting will end by a certain time. Let everyone know the end time will not be flexible, so everyone needs to focus. (Say this in whatever way you believe will best convey the message in a sincere way).

During the meeting, whenever things seem to be off track, or topics drag on, and it appears you are headed once again for a meeting that will run late, remind everyone of the meeting's inflexible end time. Do that as often as you believe necessary.

As you get to within about 10 minutes of the meeting end time, remind everyone of the fixed end time. If you have to, remind again with five minutes to go. When the meeting end time comes, stand up, thank everyone and leave.

It's hard to tell you exactly what will happen next ( as I don't know how the people in your group react when they encounter something that's never happened to them before). In my experience, you might find that people will argue that the meeting isn't finished. Or people may argue that they weren't finished yet. Or the agenda wasn't completed. Or they still had things to talk about. People may complain that no one has ever done that before. Some people may be stunned. Others may label you as being arbitrary or dictatorial. Others may not know what to do with themselves.

Here's the key: even though you are putting an arbitrary stop to the meeting right now, you can always reconvene the meeting later on today or tomorrow if necessary. But by stopping now you will send a clear message about meeting stop times. And when the meeting resumes next time, continue to follow the outline described above.

It won't be very long before people know that your meetings will end on time. And you'll be amazed at how self-policing your meetings become. People will stick to the agenda. People will speak up when others waste time, or get off subject, or let things drag on. You'll find that those people who have urgent things to talk about at the meeting will be most vocal in helping you police your meeting.

About me: Dan Pelley teaches Meeting facilitation skills as part of his "Participative Management (Building High Performance Teams)" program, one of five programs leading to a Certificate in Supervisory Management. 137 companies in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York have one or more people who earned this certificate.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.