Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348155
B M & T ••• May/June 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 20 In survey after survey, meetings get kno- cked by everyone from employees to senior executives as being among the biggest waste of work hours. In one poll, by Office Team, 45 percent of senior executives said their firms would be more productive if they banned all meetings at least one day a week! "The problem that often occurs – beyond the obvious, like lacking a clear agenda – is the underlying current of com- petition that each person brings to the table," says Berny Dohrmann, chairman and founder of CEO Space International, and author of "Redemption: The Cooperation Revolution," www.ceospacein- ternational.com. "Competition pulls people apart; cooperation brings them together. Signs that competition is causing unproductive meet- ings include one or two people dominating the floor; individuals touting their achievements; peo- ple consistently failing to con- tribute their ideas because they fear being criticized or ridiculed." The drive to compete is so ingrained in most of us, we often don't recognize it, Dohrmann says. "We get it culturally. We learn it in school. It's often rein- forced within our own families as we're growing up. We have to be aware of that and identify the culture we want, and then set about creating it – begin- ning with our meetings." Cooperative meetings yield far better results, he says. People working together toward a goal are more effi- cient, more productive, and even happier. The group pulling together toward the same goal will achieve that goal far more quickly than individuals each pulling in opposite directions, Dohrmann says. How can you turn competi- tion into cooperation – and wasted meetings into fruitful gatherings? He offers these suggestions: Begin instituting culture change by rewarding cooper- ative behavior. When some- one makes a suggestion that can help another individual or department, publicly acknowl- edge and praise that team- work. Encourage inter-depart- mental interest, empathy and even personal bonds by allow- ing employees from one area to shadow employees from anoth- er. Remind everyone that when one department succeeds, everyone succeeds. Look for managers and employees who tend to be naturally cooperative and enlist them as mentors and leaders to encourage and spread the new culture. Identify and curb competi- tive behavior in meetings. Avoid discouraging the behav- ior with tactics that rely on pub- lic criticism, scorn or ridicule. Rather, set egalitarian stan- dards, such as time limits for each person to speak, and stick to them. When someone strays off topic, discern whether he or she is sharing a potentially valuable idea or seeking a personal competitive advantage (i.e. by laying blame, self-promoting, etc.) before steering him back on topic. Participation is essential to cooperation. Require everyone to participate in meetings. Circulate the agenda in advance with the stated expec- tation that each attendee will come to the table prepared to address at least one item – even if it's not an item within their area of responsibility. Participa- tion is a key component of a cooperative work group and making it the norm is often as simple as getting everyone into the habit. Berny Dohrmann is chair- man and founder of CEO Space International, one of the largest support organizations for business owners. As the inventor of Super Teaching, a Title I technology that acceler- ates retention for public schools, he is a frequently a guest speak- er to various nations, VIP con- ferences and television pro- grams. ARE YOUR MEETINGS A WASTE OF TIME? CEO SHARES TIPS FOR ENCOURAGING PRODUCTIVE COLLABORATION