Marita’s Blog

In thermodynamics, you can define the state of any simple compressible system by two independent intensive properties. A simple compressible system is one where the effects of gravity and motion can be neglected; independent properties are ones that aren’t related to each other; and intensive properties are characteristics of the state whose magnitudes are not dependent on mass.

What doesn’t define a state though, is the process by which it arrived - the length of time, order the components were added, or the method used for heating and cooling. It doesn’t make a difference whether 4 days or 4 seconds was taken, whether something was frozen in the freezer or given a douse of dry ice. What matters is that the required properties are reached to make it the correct state.

Similarly, you can write a computer program in C++ which does something in 200 lines that Python could do in 40 lines; you can spend 5 minutes working out the square root of a number to 3 decimels on paper that you could spend 5 calculator keystrokes on; or you can either take 6 detours by public transport and get lost, or drive straight from your house via the shortest route in 15 minutes and in both cases, still make the 11am meeting. To the end user, the result of the equation and the other attendees at the meeting, it shouldn’t make a difference.

If you’re accountable for getting work done, it doesn’t matter how long the work takes, what the temperature was while you were doing it (or not doing it), or what method you chose for getting it done, what matters is that you get it done.

1. Make sure everyone is clear about the meeting time and location.

2 If you are the one hosting the meeting, show up. Woody Allen has a quote, “80% of success is showing up.” If you’re the one calling the shots, and you’re not there - what’s everyone else meant to do?

3. Be on time. You’ve scheduled the meeting for a certain time, and everyone has allocated that time in their diaries. Something comes up at last minute? Unless it’s a real, unforeseen emergency which you had absolutely no control over, who cares? Think of everyone else. I’m sure they could have all thought of other things to do to occupy the time they spent waiting for you. Your being there makes a difference.

4. Always have an agenda. Plan out what you want to go on in the meeting, and what you want to get out of the meeting, otherwise, the meeting turns into conversations with no outcomes. People can have conversations with their friends - they don’t need to go to meetings for that. People go to your meetings because they’re inspired by your project, your vision, what they can get out of it, what they can contribute towards it, and because they want to cause something with you.

5. Have an end time. That way, people can have and plan a life outside of your meeting. Also, it’s so you don’t feel disheartened if 50 people come to your meeting initially, then filter out slowly until you’re left with 3 people at the end, and you’re left trying desperately to find a way to end the meeting (politely). Be straight about when you want people to be there, what you want them to do and when you want them to leave. That way, people know and are conscious of the deadline for achieving results in the meeting.

6. End on time. Even if you don’t have anything planned after your meeting, keep in mind other people might. Let people know beforehand if you’ve planned anything that involves them after the meeting. Otherwise, let people know when the meeting officially ends so that they feel free to leave without having missed anything important and so they don’t feel rude about leaving on time.

7. Take notes. If you say you’re going to do stuff, write it down so you don’t forget. That way, you won’t get a shock when you get an email asking you for your part of the project.

8. Fulfil on all your agenda items and come to a conclusion on everything. Remember, that was the point of you having the meeting in the first place. Don’t loiter around in indecision - weigh up all the choices, and if it’s not life-altering, come to a conclusion.

9. Decide on next actions. Allocate tasks to everyone. It makes them feel useful and a part of the project. Best way for people to really take on ownership of the project.

10. If it’s not essential, don’t hold a meeting.

You set up a meeting time, ten people email back and say they’re keen, passionate and that they’ll be there.  One person shows up.

So what’s there to do?

Get on with it!  Don’t cancel the project and don’t loose faith in yourself.  Believe in the goals of the project, and keep pursuing them.  So nine people didn’t show up.  Boo hoo.  One person did.  They came for the meeting, you give them the meeting.  Meetings, paricularly the first meetings in creating an organisation, don’t have to look a certain way.  Meetings don’t have to have X number of people there talking about X or doing X.  Create what is necessary there in that meeting to move your objectives of the project, and the desired outcomes of the meeting along.  

Sometimes even the best laid plans go awry.  Just dance in the moment and create from what you have.