February 28, 2016

So what we’re saying is …

Struts

Twenty minutes in, you’ve been talking about the simplest thing the whole time, everyone’s nodding in agreement. It’s obvious to all. It’s actually a little frustrating you’re still talking about it. Three people check their email.

Time to move on.

Is it?

And then someone attempts a summary. “So what we’re saying is …”

And five people start talking at once. Because that’s not what they were saying. At all.

The only thing that’s obvious now is that you were all talking around the issue. Generalities, not specifics.

So you go again. This time with notes. This time settling vagueness with shared, open, firm decisions.

Priority one – agreed.

Step two – agreed.

Must haves – agreed.

Nice to haves – agreed.

By when – agreed.

Every discussion is a waste of time if you only do the talking part. The value is in coming to clarity.

Skippy strategy: End every discussion with clear, shared, commitments.

Category:
Decisions