Meeting Tips:
Brainstorming and Small Groups
This is the standard democratic technique for figuring out what to do. The issue is raised in a general meeting, and for a while everyone brainstorms. This means tossing ideas into the air (whoosh!!!), without discussing or criticizing them. Brainstorming allows people to suggest ideas in an atmosphere of openness, without the fear of being put down. Sometimes it is to good to have some order to the process to avoid a cacophony of voices and so that each person can be speak and be heard. A good method for this is to go around the room (called a “go-around”). Each person names a couple ideas or passes, but does not comment on or criticize the previous speakers. Meanwhile, a scribe writes all the ideas on a board. By saving discussion for later, no one is afraid of having his or her idea rejected.
Afterward, have some discussion to find out what the favorites are. Then, if needed, a small group can split off to work out the details. After a set amount of time or at your next meeting, the small group can come back and report to the whole group on what they came up with, and make sure it’s OK. Then you kick ass and do it.
Writing Group Documents
When drafting some important document like a constitution or even a position statement, more than three people working on the specific wording is a nightmare. It’s good for a small group to come up with an initial draft that the group can discuss. The larger group might tear it apart, but it will provide a starting point. If it is a long document, the group members may want to take it home and read it before the next meeting. Group members could submit electronic or hand written comments to the small group for revision of the document. After an allotted period of time the small group could rework the document and re-present it to the larger group. This process could go back and forth between the larger group and the small group until all members of the group generally agrees upon the content of the document.
