Queen of Meetings

I'm not entirely sure Queen of Meetings is a title to aspire to but people often compliment me for my meeting chairpersonship. Maybe it's because I'm not much of a meeting fan so I like to finish early. Maybe it's because having chaired many Labour Party meetings in my time, I've learned to steer the discussion largely in the same direction whilst allowing everyone to express themselves.

Now we're back into in-person mode without having left virtual mode, I've found myself rushing between home office and out office and wishing that my diary wasn't so full of meetings.

According to research, 70% of employees experienced a 70% increase in meetings after work from home was initiated during the pandemic, yet executives consider 67% of meetings a complete failure in communicating the sole purpose of conducting them. Ouch!

Thinking about what makes meetings I chair successful, here are five tips:

Be clear in advance what the purpose of the meeting is and invite attendees accordingly.

Make sure everyone there understands what they are there to achieve. Agree this in advance along with some ground rules.

Make sure everyone gets the chance to be heard and to contribute. Don't let a minority of loud voices dominate.

Start on time and keep to time. Don't waste ten prompt people's time waiting for one late person.

Keep steering people back to the purpose. If you're too busy chairing, appoint someone to do this job for you.

There are probably more. What are yours?

It's disheartening when people tell me campaigning doesn't work. It's even more depressing when people say voting doesn't change anything.

This week a cross party group of Parliamentarians worked together to vote through an amendment to the Health and Care Bill in the UK, ensuring that early medical abortion at home is retained. This provision was introduced during the first lockdown. Thousands of women have accessed safe and early abortions at home using this medicine. Patients, clinicians, reproductive health services all agree it's a good thing, yet the Government was going to withdraw it in August.

Not any more. Because people wrote to their MPs, parliamentarians of all colours across both chambers collaborated, I wrote a blog, and our parliamentary representatives voted. Bravo!

This beautiful moment of sisterhood at the Oscars ceremony was rather overshadowed by a less beautiful moment. Don't miss it.

It was the anniversary this week of the first heart on the Covid memorial wall. The bereaved families led a demo and march to Downing Street to demand that the memorial be made permanent. I was very moved to be there and pay my respects.

Interesting and useful links 🖇️

My friends at brap have been working with a group of civil society organisations to create the Power, Anti-Racism and Civil Society handbook.

I thought this was an interesting article about whether hybrid working is working.

Day of the Week 📆

Transgender Day of Visibility was this week and it was good to see some positive policy announcements from the United States 🏳️‍⚧️

And here's a fantastic Trans allies video by Sarah O'Connell 👏🏼

What am I watching? 👀

I was lucky enough to go to the BFI Flare Festival Closing Gala. The film was Tramps! all about the post-punk, new romantic era. It was exhilarating but also sobering, focusing on some of the sad stories behind the superficial glamour of those times.

What am I listening to?👂

I thought Fontaines DC were from Washington DC. But no! They're from Dublin City. I like their latest track, Jackie Down the Line. It reminds me of lots of other bands I like.

Joy-giving things 😍

Clare used to work in an office in Vauxhall with a peregrine falcon nest. One of the most magical things was hearing one shrieking as it flew high over our house. Pity the pigeon!

There's a nest in Leamington Spa with a web cam

Have a lovely weekend

Lucy

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