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Many of the employees we meet in Center-led Risk Assessments yearn for a more generous communications loop in their organizations. Our team has also observed the growing interdependency of work tasks and the need for thoughtful collaboration and communication. Email and instant messaging may feel like time-saving communications tools, but they are poor substitutes for face-to-face meetings.
However, many people view meetings as ineffective and as an interruption to their work. Ineffective meetings can be bad for morale and limit the productivity of your organization. Because of this, many can view a meeting as a waste of time. In his book Beyond Management, Mark Addleson posits that the perception that meetings are a waste of time is misguided. Addleson explains that meetings are where the most important ‘work’ of an organization takes place, and that every meeting has the potential to be an opportunity for information sharing necessary to develop solutions to key challenges and collectively make decisions.
The first step toward transforming your staff meetings into high-energy, high productivity moments is simple planning. A good meeting agenda identifies the purpose of the meeting, the points that will be covered in support of this purpose, the participants that will attend, and the preparation that needs to happen before the meeting.
Respect the time and brainpower of your co-workers by constructing meeting agendas on a solid foundation. If any of the “4 P’s” above are missing, hold off meeting until you’re truly ready. For additional insights on making meetings matter, check out our other RISK eNews articles, including pieces on facilitating inclusive meetings and making meetings matter. For a deeper dive into creating an agenda, take a look at “How to Design an Agenda for an Effective Meeting” from Roger Schwarz in the Harvard Business Review.
Eric Henkel is a former project manager at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.
“First let me congratulate you on a conference well done. I had a great time at the Nonprofit Employee Benefits Conference and walked away with some valuable tools and questions that we’ll need to be addressing in both the short and long term. Thanks to you and your staff for all you do to provide us with quality resources in support of our missions.”
“BBYO’s engagement of the Center to conduct a risk assessment was one of the most valuable processes undertaken over the past five years. Numerous programmatic and procedural changes were recommended and have since been implemented. Additionally, dozens (literally) of insurance coverage gaps were identified that would never have been without the work of the Center. This assessment led to a broker bidding process that resulted in BBYO’s selection of a new broker that we have been extremely satisfied with. I unconditionally recommend the Center for their consultative services.
“Melanie Herman has provided expert, insightful, timely and well resourced information to our Executive Team and Board of Directors. Our corporation recently experienced massive growth through merger and the Board has been working to better integrate their expanded set of roles and responsibilities. Melanie presented at our Annual Board of Director’s Retreat and captured the interest of our Board members. As a result of her excellent presentation the Board has engaged in focused review which is having immediate effects on governance.”
“The Nonprofit Risk Management Center has been an outstanding partner for us. They are attentive to our needs, and work hard to successfully meet our requests for information. Being an Affiliate member gave us access to so many time- and money-saving resources that it easily paid for itself! Nonprofit Risk Management Center is truly a valued partner of The Community Foundation of Elkhart County and we are continuously able to optimize staff time with the support given by their team.”
“The board and staff of the Prince George’s Child Resource Center are extremely pleased with the results of the risk assessment conducted by the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. A thorough scan revealed that while we are a well run organization, we had risks that we never imagined. We are grateful to know that we have now minimized our organizational risks and we recommend the Center to other nonprofits.”
Great American Insurance Group’s Specialty Human Services is committed to protecting those who improve your communities. The Center team has committed to delivering dynamic risk management solutions tailored to nonprofit organizations. These organizations have many and varied risk issues, hence the need for specialized coverage and expert knowledge for their protection. We’ve had Melanie speak on several occasions to employees and our agents. She is always on point and delivers such great value. Thank you for the terrific partnership and allowing our nonprofits to focus on their mission!