Heres an easy quiz to check the health of your meetings.

1) Who leads your meetings? 

a) No one,
b) Whoever has the loudest voice,
c) A facilitator

2) What happens to the ideas in your meetings? 

a) If we had to think of ideas, it would be work,
b) We make fun of them,
c) A scribe writes them on a chart pad

3) Are results obtained in your meetings?

a) We eat all the donuts,
b) And we drink all of the coffee,
c) Yes!

4) Do your meetings have an agenda?

a) Is that some kind of cabinet?,
b) I saw one once in an article,
c) Yes!

5) Who attends your meetings?

a) We have bleachers to hold spectators,
b) The entire staff plus any homeless people in the neighborhood,
c) Only those who can contribute

6) How long are your meetings? 

a) Ill let you know when this one ends,
b) All day,
c) An hour or less

7) During a meeting do you: 

a) Break a foam cup into bits,
b) Prepare for the next meeting,
c) Focus on the topic

8) How soon after the meeting do you issue minutes?

a) If you think I want to publicize how much time we wasted, youre nuts,
b) Within a few months or so,
c) As soon as possible, if not faster

9) While someone is speaking, do you:

a) Wonder about the strength of plastic foams,
b) Plan a way to change the subject,
c) Listen empathetically

10) What structured activities do you use in your meetings?

a) We sit on chairs,
b) Everyone leaves at the same time,
c) Process tools designed to gather information, make decisions, and manage participation.

Score: subtract five points for every (a), mark a zero for every (b), and add five points for every (c).

If your total is:* Negative: Go to your boss and ask to be fired* Zero to 20: Stay home* 25 to 35: Attend a workshop* 40 to 50: Congratulations

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