Meeting Dialogs

What is a Meeting Dialog? Dialogs are highly interactive, team-based, open and collaborative.  Information bounces around the room; it does not all go through the leader.  Dialogs drive problem identification, discovery and problem-solving. They build team pride – they show that the organization is progressing and that individuals are making a difference. Peers have high expectations regarding individual preparation and performance. Dangling items are captured, and there is follow through. Dialogs bring people and functions together to discuss progress-to-plan. They provide a forum for reinforced accountability. They create a team-based conversation around what people need to do to keep those functions moving successfully forward. Of equal importance, they celebrate success and problem-solve any shortfalls. They also build organization pride and productivity, and the ringmaster who drives this pride and productivity is the leader.

To create a meeting dialog, click the green + sign icon under Meeting Dialogs. Add the name of the Dialog. Click insert. Click on the dialog date link and the dialog will open in a full web page. You will see a blank agenda box. Click into the agenda box on the pencil in the upper left corner. Create your agenda.

If you have already completed at least one meeting agenda, you will then see last month’s agenda on the right and a blank agenda to edit on the left. If you want to copy the agenda from last month (then edit it), click the green arrow in the center between the two agendas and the agenda on the right will automatically copy into the agenda on the left. You can then make any adjustments to the current agenda on the left. Click Update to save the changes.  You can also create Related Links as well as Follow-up Tasks. All Follow-up Tasks that have been assigned a task owner will show up on the owner’s “people tab”.

Organization/Department Connection^â Dialog Agenda

Project Celebration [10-20 minutes]

• Project impact / lessons learned
• Questions and answers

The Follow-Up Items [15-30 minutes]

• Review complete Follow-Up list for completion (from last Organization/Department Dialog)

The Big Picture [45-60 minutes]

• Strategic Focus Topic (issues, opportunities, threats)
• Follow-up Actions (what, by whom, when)

Our Core Values [30 minutes]

• Examples (hit it; fell short)
• Follow-up Actions (what, by whom, when)

The Critical Measurements [45-60 minutes]

• Progress Update on Each Critical Measurement (current performance vs. plan; successes/lessons learned; obstacles, recommended actions)
• Follow-up Actions (what, by whom, when)

The Current Projects [30-45 minutes]

• Progress Update on Each Project Connection (issues; outcomes achieved; “heads-up” on issues over next 30 days; recalibration)
• Q-List Update (prioritization; Business Case review/adds)
• Follow-up Actions (what, by whom, when)

A Clarification of the Follow-Up Items from this Organization/Department Dialog [5 minutes]

• Review and discuss the Total List (add any additional items identified by the Leadership Team)

The Organization/Departmental Dialog Calendar [1 minute]

• Set the Dates for Each of the Next Three Months (record in the software)

A Continuous Improvement Critique of this Month’s Organization/Departmental Dialog
[15 minutes]

• Did Well (List what was done well in this Dialog—what we want to continue or reinforce in future sessions)
• Do Better (List what we need to improve to make this time more valuable)

What are Meeting Dialogs and How Can You Optimize Them? (30 minute recorded webinar)