Collaborwocky Ep006 - Meetings & Collaboration

In this episode of Collaborwocky, we delve into the world of meetings and collaboration. The team discusses the nuances of meetings, their purpose, and how to navigate them effectively.

Dave shares his experience running a status meeting at a marketing company. The meeting was a four-and-a-half-hour ordeal where everyone waited their turn to speak. Dave decided to treat this challenge as a lab experiment. He experimented with various meeting techniques, making the sessions run like clockwork.

The team debates whether meetings should always be collaborative. Jim suggests that meetings can serve a purpose beyond collaboration. For instance:

• Transactional Meetings: Some meetings exist to produce something specific, like signing documents during a house purchase.
• Informational Meetings: Regular financial reviews or updates can be non-collaborative but still valuable.

Tonianne highlights the importance of human connection in meetings. Even if not directly collaborative, meetings allow colleagues to share personal stories, build rapport, and understand each other better. Mark shares how social interactions in remote teams fostered rapport and engagement.

Jim emphasizes that detoxifying work environments (NEW Course - Toxic Waste) requires systematic change. Instead of blaming individuals, focus on altering systems. Dave agrees, reflecting on his past manipulative strategies. The team concludes that inclusion, psychological safety, and diverse perspectives lead to better problem-solving.

In summary, meetings can serve various purposes beyond collaboration. Whether transactional or informational, they contribute to building stronger teams and fostering human connections.

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