Liking Meetings

As promised, I went around to six or seven executives and asked if people at work hated meetings. No, mostly no. And yes, our meetings are functional. The things that are decided on do get implemented.

They all knew that folks could be imperfect sometimes, that sometimes meetings went long, but that really meetings were just common sense. Part of it was learning to be efficient. Obviously you need a goal. One guy leaned forward to whisper that he didn't like abstract meetings but looked forwards to meetings for talking about concrete needs. Only one fellow said he didn't like meetings, and told me that others would vouch—and did—that he avoided them when he could: partly because of his desk calling to him and partly because people get off topic. I laughed and swung my heels because he himself was named for being the off topic-er. We both laughed and I advised him to work on this.

As for me, I like meetings because of coping with all the challenges that are all happening at once, like being a novice driver or a soldier on patrol. I like helping people to get their words out and then realize that even Einstein is smarter with a group to help. I like surfing the group's emotions so we can keep moving forward, however slowly, despite tensions. I like to see a meeting done right with people feeling productive.

I like being chairman for the same reason I still like movies and still like having a window seat on an aircraft: I don't get to do these activities enough.


Sean Crawford
not ready yet to settle for tiredly peering at stunt doubles, lighting and props,
March, Calgary 2010