What is the purpose of these meetings? Why did we start them? Reasons as I know and understand:
1. To see the members in person not just in mails -- whether the members in the email group turn up! 2. If people do turn up, plan the activities based on the strength and interests. If we do not have volunteers, we cannot take up an activity. 3. To look back at the previous month's activities and to propose and plan the activities for current month. Why do we share the MOMs with the group? The group is comprised of all chapters. Any decision taken by the people who present in the meeting should be shared with other members (who are absent for the meeting from the same Chapter and other Chapters too). We expect members to go through the MOMs seriously, particularly the matters that impact the group overall like guidelines, strategy, direction of the group etc., No Chapter has any right to say that what they discussed in the meeting is a 'Final Decision'. I think this should be the basic guideline. Effective meetings and the best way to come to a conclusion? If starting a meeting on time and concluding it on time, is the basis of the fruitful and successful meeting, meetings can be effective, if majority of the attendants remain silent and those who talk could get a chance to discuss topics superficially. A meeting can be effective if everyone speaks their opinion and discuss things to the extent they should be discussed, pros and cons are listed out. We still can conduct meetings on time and conclude on time, for time is crucial. Send the agenda out in a manner where we list out the finer details/points of each topic. Say for example, we want to discuss on 'Education', do not say, discussion on the school. Discussion on the school, taking it up as a project. --- What are the things we want to do --- Notebooks, Stationery, Library, Infrastructure Support, Taking classes etc., If we send an agenda like this, then people who cannot attend also, can send their opinion. Without knowing what we discuss on a topic, no one can send their opinion. If any activity is there, if we have a question of whether to take up or not...... take for example, the new medical case. ---- Rs. 10,000 we can give and as there is no other medical case scheduled, we can discuss on whether to take up the case or not. How far Rs. 10,000 is useful when the actual need is 3 lakhs!! If that really makes a difference to the case or just would be giving money for taking up a case? If there is no restriction of Rs. 10,000, can we take up the case? Yes or No. 3 lakhs can we raise on behalf of the group? =========== This way, the agenda should be and there would not be any need to gather also if people are good enough to respond through mails. Now Postmortem: 1. Why our members are not present in full strength for the meetings? ----- Something extremely important and unavoidable or do not care much about the meeting? If second one is the reason, why is it so? ----- You do not feel that there is nothing to discuss ------ not interested in discussion at all (if interested, do the work. otherwise fine, do not bother about taking decisions) ------ you do not have chance to voice our opinion ----- or you feel your opinion does not matter (like what Kasyap complained/opined on me --- ask everyone to say the opinion but at the end says that 'all these views are wrong, mine are correct, let us implement what I suggest) 2. Is there any suggestion from your side for the meetings? When will you attend or show interest to attend the meetings? Please reply. Thank you. with regards, Prasanthi.
