Why NOT? One tiny word that Accelerates Progress and Builds Trust.
Lately, we’ve been facilitating a lot of high stakes meetings; choosing strategies for the future, discontinuing activities that aren’t working, analyzing systems that harm rather than help.
We’ve also been facilitating a lot of lower stakes meetings with people experiencing high stress; learning meetings where people are distracted, brainstorming meetings where people don’t feel energized, and relational meetings where people are Zoomed out.
No matter the setting, the stakes or the people, one little word - NOT - helps our clients accelerate progress towards their goals and build trust with their teams.
We use NOT statements in every meeting we facilitate. We call it the NULL purpose.
Three NOT examples
The purpose of this meeting is to choose our approach to increase revenue in 2020. Null purpose: We’re beginning with the ideas already collected. We’re NOT brainstorming again.
The purpose of this meeting is to begin exploring equity. Null purpose: We’re NOT designing our equity strategy yet. We need to learn more first.
The purpose of this meeting is to give constructive feedback about the strategic plan. Null purpose: We’re NOT just rubber stamping the boss’ ideas.
Why is NOT powerful?
NOT statements disrupt our default settings. For example: Idea-generating leaders might think every meeting is a chance for ideation. The NOT statement helps that person to shift to the task at hand - making a choice.
NOT statements shape expectations about speed and depth. For example, if I know we’re NOT trying to complete the process in one session, I might relax knowing that I can continue shaping the process as it unfolds.
NOT statements bring forward cynical assumptions that undermine relationships. If you could eavesdrop on people as they receive meeting invites you might hear, “why do I have to spend two hours brainstorming when the boss already knows what she wants.” Not statements can dispel assumptions that are inaccurate. Taking time to write a NOT statement can also help the boss reflect on how much power and choice she will share at the meeting.
-Author: Stacy Van Gorp, PhD
If you want to learn more about highly effective meeting practices, please join us for our upcoming workshop - Effective Meetings in Uncertain Times. During this 8 hour workshop we will discover how to design more effective meetings for these uncertain times. For more information and to register, please click the button below.