I opened my door to hear my neighbors little daughter announce with delight, “Look Auntie Ellen, I match me!” Ruthie pointed to her purple hair ribbons, lilac sweater and mauve socks.
Kids sometimes see connections in delightful shades that match, links that adults often miss. Take meetings, for example. During one particularly boring gathering, a co-worker Gordon Corns turned off both hearing aids and then smiled or nodded relief as the rest of us suffered two wasted hours. Been there?
When did the last meeting match you, or link to your proclivities in a way that built enthusiasm or created space for adventure? When did participants get to share what they already knew, or articulate what they hoped to discover and benefit from?
Imagine a meeting that offers a life-changing opportunity to build a breakthrough innovation that benefits all concerned. OK, if that’s too big a step to visualize, simply imagine a meeting you loved to attend.
You’ve likely seen it – that rare gathering where enthusiasm and curiosity merge to lift up insights. A gathering where new ideas overflow like geyser streams and where a new way forward sprays into refreshing streams of action.
Will your next meeting stoke talents and extend kindness across differences to every participant?
Brain based meetings offer opportunities for renewal through kindness, reconciliation, and rewards that benefit all concerned. Sounds like a missing ingredient from your meetings? I’m speaking of tangible benefits and observable takeaways human brains prime for daily.
How so? Mindful meetings prosper all, simply by sharpening and using mental tools participants already possess. Yes, even hidden and unused equipment, can determine and add to the success rate of your next meeting.
Our brains come equipped with six tools to lead meetings people love to attend.
Use these tools and our meetings no longer dose possibilities. Why snuff out terrific ideas with terrifying toxins, in schools, Rotary groups, churches, boardrooms, libraries, or anywhere that humans come together?
Spot any incentives for genius meeting opportunities in this video?
Let’s rethink why we need to run from some meetings, and let’s take another look together at new possibilities all meetings could offer. How would you complete the following statement?
This meeting creates space and reaches me on the topic ______________.
Now let’s say your meeting topic is discovering strategies your organization might implement to appeal to and include more diverse ages and talents.
Question first, to discover insights from the backgrounds of diverse participants with the question: If you were new to this organization what top innovative feature would serve you and others best and why so?
Target second, to facilitate a shared goal that guides active engagement of all participants toward meeting outcomes. In this case all outcomes should address the umbrella question above. For instance two main targets here might be: a). participants will compare innovative features; and b). participants will come to an agreement about the top one or two innovations that will be developed and implemented.
Expect third, that high quality outcomes will be reached through a transparent set of criteria for the outcome, or in this case the proposed innovative features that appeal to all. Five criteria may include: a). research to see how similar groups have fostered diversity favorably; b). evidence that people of various ages will benefit from the innovation; c). qualities that may build on tradition but clearly reach forward into a new era; d). concrete description of the innovation that allows it to be seen as a concrete object that improves current situations; e). demonstration of support and sustainability within the organization.
Move mental attributes into action fourth, so that diverse mental capabilities such as multiple intelligences are surveyed, actively engaged and encouraged from all participants and teams.
Finally, reflect on, where to from here? This fifth step identifies clearly what you and the group accomplished during the meeting, what still needs to be done, and what specific plans you will make to take the next step toward your umbrella goal.
Every brain based meeting will use similar prompts to ensure that both sides of diverse minds are engaged as mental equipment to move shared ideas forward toward one goal.
Looking for ready-to-go materials that will engage your organization in what meetings could offer to individual and corporate wellbeing? Any implications here for teens or young adult learners or leaders you know or mentor at any age?
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Created by Ellen Weber, Brain Based Tasks for Growth Mindset