The meeting-prep idea that left an MBA class speechless
If gratitude is not already a part of your meeting preparation routine, it needs to be.
Last week, I was doing a professional development program on Grateful Leadership with a group of MBA students. It was great to be in a classroom again—it’s probably been about four years. After we had laid the groundwork on Grateful Leadership and how to practically incorporate it into their daily routines, they all seemed very comfortable so we introduced a mock situation that they would each likely experience within the next few months—and it left them speechless.
The situation we revealed was a job interview—but this did not leave them speechless.
We asked them to apply the principles of Grateful Leadership to their upcoming job interview and in preparation for meeting, ask themselves one question, “What am I grateful for about my job interview ?”
This did not leave them speechless.
We then qualified that the answer to what they’re grateful for, cannot be of benefit to them.
This left them speechless. But only for about 30 seconds.
As I’m watching the class, I notice one student. Her eye’s widen. She raises her hand. “Yes.” I say.
She says, “The time they are taking out of their day.”
“Bam !”
She hit the nail on the head and as the light went on for the whole class, she helped her classmates discover one of the secret elixirs of gratitude—frame gratitudes in terms of the sacrifices and costs borne by others instead of the benefits you receive.
When it comes to preparing for a meeting, it is absolutely critical to get oneself in an abundant, servant-centred frame of mind that is focused on others rather than oneself. That’s why I believe we need to “sacrifice frame” our gratitudes as part of our meeting preparation routine. I don’t know about you, but if I’m only or primarily concerned about the benefits I’m going to get from a meeting, I worry I’m going to unconsciously and unintentionally take advantage of someone.
So in preparation for your next meeting, ask yourself, “What am I grateful for about this meeting ?” And then only record answers that are not of benefit to you !
