Meetings as Rituals

Meetings are stylized rites for coming together. It is in the meeting that the whole system by its behavior demonstrates what's important. Shaking hands, having coffee and donuts, passing out prepared materials for those present, getting the "word" from the leadership, and arranging participants' seating are examples of common meeting rituals.

Long rectangular tables provide structure to a ritualistic way of gathering that emphasizes authoritarian behavior while circular tables emphasize an egalitarian spirit. Handshakes prior to the meeting represent perfunctory connections between people, while taking time to discuss what you have to do or say to be fully present at this meeting allows for deeper connections. Meeting processes that support people discovering what they know naturally and building their future together are powerful involving mechanisms, while being told what to do dampens people's energy.

Over time meeting processes become ritualized. They become the way things are done around here. Recently Dick was in a meeting where the leadership team was discussing an important direction for the company. At one point in the meeting, one of the members said, "I'm not sure why we are discussing whether to adopt this plan; we all know Tom (the CEO) is going ahead with the plan." This group's meeting ritual was that the leader presented a course of action to which he was already committed, the group discussed it for a while, and then when the leader felt he had heard from everybody, he announced his decision, which rarely deviated from his original plan. The group had developed a pseudo-involvement ritual. They went through the motions of involvement while at the same time everyone in the room knew that their voice did not count.

In another organization, the value of connection has become so important that people would not think of beginning their meeting without taking time to welcome newcomers and connect with each other prior to doing the business portion of the meeting. Participants so valued these activities that they have become "ritualized" portions of their meetings.

Rituals help us make meaning of what is going on and build bonds among those present. Some meeting rituals emphasize authoritarian behavior; others emphasize an egalitarian spirit. Most meeting rituals go unnoticed; they are just the way we do things around here. Examining the meaning behind our rituals allows us to uncover hidden messages that may be working for or against the change you are trying to create. When you look for the involvement edge at each stage of the meeting, you create new rituals that add meaning to what you are doing.