The document outlines six strategies for increasing the effectiveness of common planning time for teaching teams: 1) Only meet when contributions are needed for future actions, 2) Adopt a shared mindset that values meeting time, 3) Establish clear goals and objectives for each meeting, 4) Create and follow a detailed agenda, 5) Focus on accomplishing tasks rather than just discussing, and 6) Continually examine and refine meeting processes. The strategies are explained through examples and attendees are then asked to discuss with partners which strategies their teams could adopt and next steps to implement.
2. How To Increase the
Effectiveness
of Common Planning Time
Theron Cosgrave & Michelle Swanson
Swanson & Cosgrave Consulting
www.swansonandcosgrave.com
3. How To Increase the
Effectiveness
of Common Planning Time
Theron Cosgrave & Michelle Swanson
Swanson & Cosgrave Consulting
www.swansonandcosgrave.com
4. How To Increase the
Effectiveness
of Common Planning Time
Theron Cosgrave & Michelle Swanson
Swanson & Cosgrave Consulting
www.swansonandcosgrave.com
5. How To Increase the
Effectiveness
of Common Planning Time
Theron Cosgrave & Michelle Swanson
Swanson & Cosgrave Consulting
www.swansonandcosgrave.com
15. Increase the Effectiveness of
Common Planning Time
1. Don’t meet
2. Adopt a common “meeting mindset”
3. Establish meeting goals & objectives
4. Stick to the agenda
5. Convert from meeting to doing
6. Examine & refine your process
17. 1. Don’t meet
• Only meet when contributions of
team members can be incorporated
to impact a future action or outcome
• Ask: Do we need to meet about this?
• Develop communication systems
19. • Value the time appropriately
• Establish team meeting norms
• Create a culture of “meeting discipline”
2. Adopt a common “meeting mindset”
20. Intel Corporation does meetings right
GOOD MEETING QUESTIONS
Do you know the purpose of this meeting?
Do you have an agenda?
Do you know your role?
Do you follow the rules for good minutes?
22. • What would be the result of a “wildly
successful” meeting?
• Preparation is key
• List goals on agenda, review at end
3: Establish meeting goals & objectives
24. • Develop agenda & paste it into e-mail
• Use & hold to specific times
• Balance: Students, data, strategies,
WBL, next steps
• Learn facilitation from employer
partners
4: Stick to the agenda!
34. Increase the Effectiveness of
Common Planning Time
1. Don’t meet
2. Adopt a common “meeting mindset”
3. Establish meeting goals & objectives
4. Stick to the agenda
5. Convert from meeting to doing
6. Examine & refine your process
36. Group Work Time
• With a partner, discuss 1-2 strategies shared
today that hold the most promise for your
team.
• Prepare to report out one next step that
you’ll take with your team when you next
meet.
How about your team? Come up with a word that best describes your team meetings, share with a partner, and explain why.
When you ask academy teams about the meetings they have together, you there are several typical responses…1) Oh goodness…do you really want to know?
When you ask academy teams about the meetings they have together, you there are several typical responses…2) well, we don’t always get along…
Or…3) “well, they are OK, except for this one person on our team…”
Or usually…4) “Our meetings are deadly dull. All we do is talk and we don’t get anything done.”
5) Or maybe you don’t really meet all that often. Ever notice how happy people get when they find out a meeting has been cancelled?
Despair.com has some great motivational posters about meetings…
More from despair.com…
We’re going to look at six strategies for increasing the effectiveness of common planning time
Or: “Only Meet when…”Meetings should only be held when the contribution of other team members can be incorporated to effect a different future action or outcome.One-way information dissemination vs. two-way information sharingUnilateral decisions vs. consensusCommunication systems essential (email, social networks, connected studios, etc.) – don’t use face-to-face time for sharing what could be on an email!
Or: “Only Meet when…”Meetings should only be held when the contribution of other team members can be incorporated to effect a different future action or outcome.One-way information dissemination vs. two-way information sharingUnilateral decisions vs. consensusCommunication systems essential (email, social networks, connected studios, etc.) – don’t use face-to-face time for sharing what could be on an email!
You’ll know if you DON’T have this if people come late, leave early, doodle“Meeting is over – time to get back to work”People should expect “crispness” to your meetingsPeople need a shared mindset that meetings are real work! Develop a “meeting discipline” and expectation that everyone knows their value and importance to the team.Intel does this intentionally. Every new employee goes through their home-grown training on effective meetings. CEO Andy Grove used to teach it himself!
People need a shared mindset that meetings are real work! Develop a “meeting discipline” and expectation that everyone knows their value and importance to the team.Intel does this intentionally. Every new employee goes through their home-grown training on effective meetings. CEO Andy Grove used to teach it himself!
Go into any conference room at Intel and you’ll see a poster on the wall with simple questions about the meetings that take place there.Also, develop your own meeting norms (seenorms page)
What would a wildly successful meeting look like? Big, hairy goal? Clearly state what this would be…
State clearly what would be true if the meeting were wildly successfulSuccessful meetings take preparation – if you don’t have time, make it a meeting item to plan the next oneList goals & objectives on the agenda, review at the conclusion of the meeting
There are online tools that enable you to figure out the cost of a specific meeting. These tools are scary.This point is all about facilitation.
It’s hard to stick to an agenda that doesn’t existDevelop agenda, paste into e-mailUse specific times, hold to themBe clear and up-front about the decision-making issues and style: Authoritative/Consultative/Voting/Consensus Have a strategy for each type Balance agenda: students, data, instructional strategies, WBL, next stepsUse a parking lotMake sure agenda includes next steps with the who and whenCall in partners to learn facilitationUse facilitation mentors – like employer partners This is your business
Here’s a sample agenda from MetWest HS Notice:Norms stated on agendaRoles stated on agendaTime for each item specifiedFacilitator/discussion leader listed for each itemWHY (purpose) listed for each item (NOTE: Simply including this on the agenda probably weeds out unnecessary topics)
Here’s more of their agenda…Notice:Next week’s stuff (urgent)College trips for spring (not quite as urgent)Deep dive on math program (important but not urgent – but still on agenda!)Lots of text – lots of planning went into this meeting!
…and the final page.Notice:Process observer (we’ll get to that later)AppreciationsRoles rotation on agenda
Focus on creating shared documents Switch from whiteboards and chart paper to computers and big monitors or projectors – fundamental change to a “computer-augmented collaboration”Make sure you document the key decisions and share with others
Focus on creating shared documents Switch from whiteboards and chart paper to computers and big monitors or projectors – fundamental change to a “computer-augmented collaboration”Make sure you document the key decisions and share with others
What should you be doing together? This Linked Learning Communities of Practice Continuum tool (in your handouts) lists some of the things you should be doing together…
What should you be doing together? This Linked Learning Communities of Practice Continuum tool (in your handouts) lists some of the things you should be doing together…
Finally…Examine and Refine your ProcessReview & revise normsUse a process monitorRevise agenda processAdapt roles as neededMonitor what works and hold people accountable
Remember the MetWest agenda’s Process Observer?This person reflects at the end of the meeting on the groups’ process together…
OK, so those are the six strategies…
What questions do you have?
Pair up with someone near you…discuss these questions.