Retail Observer

September 2016

The Retail Observer is an industry leading magazine for INDEPENDENT RETAILERS in Major Appliances, Consumer Electronics and Home Furnishings

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RETAILOBSERVER.COM SEPTEMBER 2016 38 Libby Wagner Culture Coach Libby Wagner, author of The Influencing Option: The Art of Building a Profit Culture in Business, works with clients to help them create and sustain Profit Cultures www.libbywagner.com RO O ften, when I work with teams and groups who are invested in becoming more purposeful and successful in their team dynamics, they often outwardly complain, obviously roll their eyes, or inwardly cringe at the idea of having "too many meetings." I can always get a laugh when I share author Patrick Lencioni's book title, Death By Meetings . . . because we spend so much time in meetings, most of which we feel is pointless, misguided, excessive or at the worst, a waste. Technology hasn't made this better, in my opinion, even though we can use teleconference lines, Skype, or other gathering technologies to limit the number of times (and amount of dollars) that we have traditionally invested in face-to-face meetings. Now, we are just boring ourselves long-distance rather than up close. And, if we do happen to share the same meeting room, gathering space or conference table, we have our electronics fired up and at-the-ready, so we're not often looking at each other, much less listening. 1 out of 10 of you are really "taking notes on my iPad or tablet because it's easier for me." Mostly you're checking your email or if you think you can get away with it, posting on social media or placing a 1-click order on Amazon. I'm not blaming or shaming here . . . I've done this, too. One of my own top five pet peeves and button-pushers is a meeting that feels like there's no purpose or a waste of my time. So, I sympathize with you when you tell me that you have too many meetings, and I hear you when you say, "I have so many meetings, I cannot get my work done!" And, I agree that there might be good reason to assess those meetings' purpose, goal and frequency. We should assess whose participation is absolutely necessary, whose input is essential, and whose development might be enhanced by attending. There's nothing like a work buzzkill than a terrible, recurring meeting. There's nothing that will plummet morale and engagement than a pervasive sense that you are wasting my time and energy and talents and asking me to participate in something that is in direct conflict to what I thought you told me my primary purpose is. So, yeah. I get that. But here's the secret that no one's saying: 1. Because of the systemic and collaborative nature of work, you are actually in conversation with all things important to the work itself. 2. The conversation, the meeting, is the work itself. Indeed, you (or those with whom you work) may be terrible conversationalists, but therein lies part of the problem: there are good conversations and bad ones; there are good meetings and bad ones. And sometimes, it's not just about the fact that someone's not taking minutes, recording action items or that you were prepared ahead of time. Sometimes it's not that your meeting caller or leader didn't have the good sense to provide even a rough agenda or take a few moments at the beginning of the meeting to set the tone, frame the environment, or tell you the purpose for your gathering together. A conversation, by definition, means conversing, the back and forth of discussion, debate, sharing, listening and formulating. Conversation implies more than one perspective or opinion, and perhaps a reason. Good conversationalists, in the 19th century British novel sense, means you might be good at dinner parties or events. You might be funny, humorous or provocative, and people might like to be around you, but that's really a romanticized view of conversation, and for the workplace, we might be more pragmatic. Maybe. Perhaps. What if your meetings were where you accomplished part of the essential work that you are doing? What if these conversations were essential to the success of projects, ventures, relationships and goals? What if you looked at each meeting, each conversation as a process by which you differentiated yourself as a leader, collaborator, team or company? What sorts of meetings might you have? What would your purpose, goals or guidelines be? Want to learn more specifics about Conversational Leader- ship? Join David Whyte, along with my colleagues and me for a completely unique and powerful leadership experience in Invitas. There's truly nothing like it. Spots are available now for the November 2016 cohort kick-off. Please visit www.invitas.net/YearLong2016.html. WHAT IF MEETINGS MATTERED?

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