Streamlining Meetings in Twenty Words or Less
July 1, 2009 8 CommentsHad a fun conversation today with Jessica Lipnack and Jeff Stamps about some ideas about how we might improve meetings. (20)
Jessica asked me, “what if, in meetings, everyone had to keep comments to 20 words – a la Twitter’s 140 characters?”
I laugh tonight, thinking of our Irish colleagues’ comments about American verbosity, how they’d love it if we did this. (20)
Would English be the standard? Or Spanish? Something else? Would we need the same number of words in every language? (20)
I’m not sure I’ll be able to just talk in a meeting again. I’ll probably count out the words first. (20)
What would happen if we did this (even for an hour)? I’m ready to try. Thanks again, Jessica and Jeff! (20)
8 Comments
Count me in Linda! “The Power of your words is directly proportional to how much silence you keep” Swami Muktananda (20)
Lets up the stakes – electric shock collars that send the speaker a gentle reminder when they get to the 21st word.
OUCH!
BIG disadvantage for extraverted thinkers, no? And what about cultures that value greater verbosity? The palaverers of the world are shaking in their boots!
If Hemingway could do it, so can we: “For sale: Baby shoes, never used.” Horrifically, makes the point. I’m an extravert, btw. (22)
Worth an experiment!
As a big out-loud-thinker, I’d probably have to mumble to myself quietly for the first 30 words or so, so the 20 I say out loud are what I actually think!
Great idea–I like the idea of shorter meetings. But think I’d always be counting. or is that the point?