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Let's face it; there are times when school district meetings are less than productive, despite your best efforts.
Let's face it; there are times when school district meetings are less than productive, despite your best efforts. When this is the case, you need to get out of the meeting as quickly--and as professionally--as possible so you can get back to other important work. This article includes some worthwhile ideas to try the next time you find yourself needing to limit your time in unproductive meetings.
- When you are invited to a meeting, ask the person in charge, "Which part of the agenda is particularly pertinent to my work and responsibilities as a principal?" It's possible that the person will give you the specifics regarding whether it's the beginning or the end, and then you can make plans according. It's always worth asking.
- Ask to be first on the agenda and then you can leave right after your portion. Again, it's always worth asking. I was so surprised how many times I would ask to be first on the agenda and my request was accommodated. I could come, do what I needed to do, and then leave.
- Ask to be last on the agenda and then you can arrive just before your item. This is a way of alerting the meeting organizer that you want to be available for your part of the agenda and that you'll be prepared--but that you want to be productive with the rest of your time, as well.
- Allow only a certain amount of time in your planner for a meeting (vs. open-ended slots such as 1:00 - ??). Block in the meeting time as an appointment (and it is) and then feel free to schedule whatever else you need to schedule after that time block. It could be other meetings, appointments with parents, observing a teacher, attending your child's soccer game, who knows?! The point is, don't leave open-ended spaces open for meetings, especially when you have a premonition (based on previous experience) that a longer meeting is not necessarily a better meeting.
- When putting meetings in your planner, tell the convener that you are scheduling one hour (or whatever you have decided to allow). The convener can tell you to allot more time if he/she thinks it's warranted. Otherwise, you have alerted them to the fact that you will be extracting yourself after the set period of time.
- Remind or tell the meeting leader and/or recorder when you arrive that you will have to leave at XYZ time and would like to receive the minutes whenever they are ready. You are interested in the results and being in the loop and this helps to indicate that to whoever has organized the meeting.
- Set a timer on your PDA, watch, or phone that will signal 5 minutes before you need to leave. That way, you aren't constantly checking your watch (which is semi-rude) but you are still alerted to the fact that you need to make your exit.
- Schedule an appointment (face-to-face or phone) immediately following a meeting (that you want to keep contained) so that you have a legitimate reason to leave. You are a vital, productive person in your school district. You have places to be and people to see. Schedule time so that you are able to accomplish your most important tasks and responsibilities.
- Arrive on time so you'll be comfortable leaving on time. You are respectful of others just as you want them to be respectful of you.
- Be honest with the group when a meeting has gone on too long for everyone. Suggest setting a time to meet when everyone is fresh and energized to discuss the issue at hand. Everyone will appreciate that someone respectfully suggests that a meeting has gone beyond its productive time/energy period. Principals are sometimes reluctant to voice what they're thinking in situations of this type (although they are thinking it, just like you are!)
I can only imagine that some of you reading this are thinking..."WOW! I would love to do these things, but it sort of scares me." By now, you might know my response...Be bold. Take a risk. Be productive. And always be professional.
Schools, school districts, superintendents, school boards, parents, the citizens--all want you to be optimally productive. If you're in meetings that are directly related to your position and you are adding to your knowledge, gaining expertise, and enhancing what you do by attending a particular meeting, then by all means--be there as long as needed. But, if you're not furthering the education of the young people under your stewardship, then use one or more of the suggestions in this article.
For more useful ideas for your life as a principal, be sure to check out ideas offered by The Productivity Professor(tm) at
**Top Ten Productivity Tips
**From the Desk of Meggin McIntosh
(c) 2008 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., "The Ph.D of Productivity"(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
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