I'm relatively new to Manager Tools. I have recently implemented the EMP for my weekly staff meeting. I added WWW/TALAL to my agenda for the 2nd meeting. During the WWW/TALAL agenda I item, a high D direct asked when he would be allowed to get a topic on the agenda. How should I handle similar requests? This direct is a very high D and is known for derailing meetings.
"Special Report" on staff mtg agenda?
Well, it's your meeting, and you get to control whether it gets derailed. :-) That said, I'd ask your direct about his topic in your next 1-1, and find out what he wants to accomplish by bringing it to the whole team. If it makes sense, then coach him about what kind of preparation and outcome you're expecting, and let him present it. If it's a smaller topic, he can just bring it up during his briefing time. (I'm assuming that you're following the "How to run your staff meeting" guidelines - ?)
In my staff meeting, we have a 10-minute block every week for a "Special Report" from one of my directs. Could be a briefing about a knowledge area, could be a discussion about a company issue, could be a presentation about a new process in the department, whatever. The direct prepares in advance and sticks to the 10 minute time slot. Works pretty well.
Since my team is very small these days, my Staff Meeting is only an hour. Here's my standing agenda:
:00 Info from leadership Me
:20 Special Report – topic TBD To be assigned
:30 Briefings from the team All
:55 Parking lot / Wrap up Me
Hope that helps. Good luck!
Is this a mountain or a molehill?
You wrote: ...asked when he would be allowed to get a topic on the agenda.
Ever heard the saying, "Even paranoids have enemies?" In this case, even a troublemaker (or a perceived troublemaker) can ask a valid question. If I were a new member of your team, especially someone who embraces innovation, I'd be asking the same question.
If you haven't done so, please create a process for your team to submit topics to be on the meeting agenda. It could be that they're submitted in writing X days before the meeting and they're limited to two paragraphs to explain the need. And perhaps they can bring it to you verbally, in an 03, phone call, or other conversation.Giving them input into the agenda strengthens their engagement in the meeting and they might be more likely to resist attempts to derail the meeting by others.
I'm going to state the obvious here. You know that it's extremely important to set the right tone in these meetings. Once everyone agrees to the new norm, derailment is less likely to occur. Stand fast there by creating norms and immediately taking action when someone departs from a norm. As the great philosopher Deputy Barney Fife liked to say, "You've got to nip it! Nip it in the bud!"
Your direct's propensity to derail meetings is a different matter altogether.
Good luck and effective meetings,
Glenn