I joined my current organization as the Deputy PAO almost three years ago. Since we shared one calendar to rule them all, I could tell one meeting was noticeably absent: a weekly staff meeting.
I instituted one, I think Tuesdays at 11 a.m. The crew humored me; we’d talk for about 45 minutes around each of our major projects, and then dive deeper into another concept or initiative.
Eventually, we stopped having these meetings. I can’t remember the catalyst, maybe we’d skipped four or five in a row and decided we were doing just as well without meetings. I still feel those conversations were substantial; we just didn’t need a conference room in order to have them.
What was lost on me then was that our staff already had a staff meeting on the calendar: from (approximately) 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The meetings went on through the evenings and into the weekend whenever mission dictated.
It’s called “work” and it’s your all-day opportunity to share information, collaborate, and drive action alongside your Public Affairs team.
Do I need to wait until a meeting in a conference room to find out what Bobby’s working on? Does Chuck have to wait until 11 a.m. on Tuesday to tell me he doesn’t know which of his projects is the priority, or ask for help moving something along? What if Chuck needs Bobby’s help now? Well, since we’re having an all-day staff meeting, he can approach him any time.
Because we have an open office with big white boards where everyone knows everything, nobody needs or receives a special invitation to contribute. It’s open season. Have something other than a light bulb to offer? Key the mic and join the fun. Working on something more important? Fantastic, stay focused while we take care of this other thing.
Work. It’s your team’s all-day staff meeting.
Instead of a weekly meeting, keep a daily sync on your calendar. Clear up conflicts on the calendar, confirm deadlines, set the board of woe and identify the bridges and barriers you’ll address together throughout your day.
(Photo be Staff Sgt. Thomas Swanson, DVIDS)
