[Boatanchors] Mouser Order - OK already, I get it!

[Grant Youngman]

On Nov 16, 2009, at 11:31 AM, rbethman wrote:
> 
> The corporate world holds pre-meeting meetings.  Go figure!  No wonder 
> they don't make the profits they should!
> 



Actually, there are usually multiple conference calls to plan the pre-meeting, then the pre-meeting, then the calls to discuss the discussions at the pre-meeting, and finally a call to extract "root causes and lessons learned" from the pre-meeting discussions.  At that point, initial blame is assigned.    Then the real meeting, always carefully scripted based on the pre-meeting blame assignment, and requiring  a minimum of 6 revisions (with associated little meetings and conference calls) of the PowerPoint being used for the meeting.   Then several followup meetings, again to discuss "root cause", etc.,  assign blame at the next level, and shift existing blame to others.  Once blame has been properly passed around,  there will be at least one more follow up meeting (often attended only by a subset of staffers, to figure out how to reassign blame laid at their feet), and then meeting minutes developed reflecting (always) a PC outcome. Once the minutes are published in draft form, there will be additional meetings  or WebEx's to review the minutes, and make one last assignment of blame, before they are published publicly.

Then the REAL blame begins.  

One 1 hour meeting can easily consume 40-80 or more  manhours :-)   One wonders how anything worthwhile ever gets done, how any decision is ever made, or how anyone escapes blame.  Of course, if you're paid hourly, it can be a good deal -- even if nothing is accomplished :-)

Grant/NQ5T