Page 207 - Make Work Great

Leading Your Crystal

at a time. Another good approach is to allocate time in one of your
meetings to discuss a sample meeting specifi cation you’ve created, so
you can generate some discussion and agreement in the group about
the value of adding a little more structure to the planning process.
If you’re not the meeting’s leader, you may feel an acute need for
better meeting defi nition, but your chances of convincing the leader
to make changes may be quite small. Remember, the information
exchanged in the meeting may well include unspoken cues about lev-
els of power and authority. Too strong a request for changes could
represent an overt challenge to a covert structure; if your attempt is
treated as such it will usually be met with either obvious or disguised
hostility and resistance.
Stay true to your own purpose. Your goal as a culture builder is
neither a hostile takeover nor an in-your-face introduction of major
changes. It is the slow, steady adoption of manageable, incremental
improvements by others who observe and mirror your role-modeling

of overtness and clarity. If you can fi nd a way to influence a change
that’s just large enough to have a positive impact, you may then have

the opportunity to influence another one.
Even when you aren’t able to infl uence someone else, you can
always change your own behavior. A meeting may not have a for-
mally published objective, but you can still make a tentative statement
of your understanding of your group’s purpose, then gently solicit
members’ feedback by asking them to help with your understanding.
If you’re asked to give a presentation without any indication of the
expected outcome, you can still begin your talk by articulating your
own version of the expected outcome—what you’re planning to share
and what you hope to accomplish—and soliciting feedback. Even in
an accidental hallway gathering, you can pause to ask your colleagues
about purpose if the conversation turns to a specifi c problem: “Do
we want to try to reach a conclusion now, or shall we simply share
information and plan to convene again later?”
Role-modeling is still your best approach.

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