Meeting Matters

I went to an important meeting yesterday. We did some of our business, and then, because our first presenter wasn't yet there, saw a presentation from another group, and talked about their thing. Then the first presenter appeared, and finally gave his presentation.

He read his handout aloud to us. Seriously, he read his handout aloud. There's probably a hundred years worth of advanced degrees around the table, and he read his handout aloud.

And then we were asked to make suggestions. Someone suggested that point A might make more sense if it were revised as [revision suggestion that made sense]. Our presenter nodded seriously and said, "yes, that's been mentioned to me."

That was the basic pattern a few more times. It was clear, that although these things had been syggested to our presenter, he hadn't actually done the revisions. Nor was he willing to say, "Yes, that's been suggested, and here's why I haven't made the change."

Then the presenter wanted our endorsement for his thing so he could take it on to the next group.

And I said, no, I'd like to see the revisions come before us, first. Shocking, aren't I?

Because clearly, he wasn't actually interested in what we were saying, or in revising the work. He wasn't really even listening. He was just doing that administrative dance where someone pretends to get feedback from the staff and faculty, and then does whatever he'd already planned anyway, without including any of the staff or faculty ideas.

I'm tired.