This episode happened a month ago. I was invited to participate on a meeting, and my opinion was required in advance in regarding to the agenda. I got really excited for having the opportunity to share ideas on how to make our meetings more effective and dynamic. However I was really disappointed when the meeting started and the agenda was distributed to the participants. None of my suggestions were implemented. To me that was nonsense. If they were not willing to make changes, what is the point of asking for people’s opinion?
Initially I did not understand why the employees kept repeating the slogan it is what it is, but after this experience I got the message. I do not feel motivated to share my ideas anymore, because I know nothing is going to change at this company. While having a rigid agenda sounds comfortable for many people inside this organization, it also prevents that others speak up. It makes perfect sense to me when Anthony Giddens defends that “structure is both an outcome of and a resource for interaction…structure is both enabling and constraining.”
Garota de Ipanema
Streaning Star Trek: Insurrection Full Movie
6 years ago
5 comments:
I just posted about this issue in response to bus244_mba's entry about agendas. As you've found, agendas can be useful for keeping the meeting on track. However, agendas can also be used to silence members and keep issues from being raised in a meeting. Those who set the agenda have the power to control what is talked about, how its talked about, and the length of the discussion. As you found, that ability to keep topics off the agenda is a powerful tool in shaping the conversation.
I can empathize with your disappointment about your suggestions being ignored, because at times I have had similar experiences. When something like that happens I try to take stock of the communications environment within the organization, or even the department, if you work for a large company. The fact that "employees kept repeating, it is what it is" says a lot about what expectations you can have of your bosses. I think your experience demonstrates how meaningful communication cues can be, to illustrate power relationships, influence your motivation, and your feelings about the organization. Unofficial lines of communication are often the most effective ways to find out how to be "heard."
No wonder you’re disappointed! It’s interesting how organizations sometimes try to give you a false feeling of being valued. They ask for your opinion which makes you feel like they care but then they don’t utilize it. This is a very good example of how structure and an unwillingness to change demotivates employees. What do organizations gain from this? Why would an employee even want to participate in discussions or make any attempt to come up with creative ideas? Often these rigid agendas only allow for senior people to actively participate and only their ideas are implemented. Often meetings are more like lectures where a few people talk and everyone else listens. So while agendas are good for keeping everyone on track and organized, agendas that are too rigid do not facilitate much interaction.
It seems that by all the comments that I read, that most often than not asking for opinion is nothing else but lip service. I also experienced it when my manager asked me to interview a person he was considering to hire and then hired her without asking me my opinion. The worse was she was to report to me and I did not make the final decision. I later found out that the interview was just a process, he had decided to hire her because she was a family friend. I was very frustrated with the hypocrisy around this process. Later on when he asked me to interview people, I just told him I was busy and did not have time.
Unfortunately, too many people play games and do not realize that other people are aware of that.
Bureaucracy and structure does not have to be bad, but people use that all the time to be able to do what they want.
I’m very sorry that you had to encounter this sort of experience. I’m actually a very Type A (control freak) person when it comes to deadlines so I live for agendas. Aside from classes, extracurricular activities, and my personal life, I have a mile long to-do list every week so I am constantly planning what my next step is. It is a very useful tool to keep on track and to monitor progress but it does not leave much room for flexibility. If your co-workers are concerned about a timeframe, maybe you could ask if they can set aside an allotted amount of time for anything else the employees would discuss. You can also suggest they have someone be the timekeeper to make sure you stay on time and you don’t overspend time on some of the other topics.
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