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#Thread about meetings.
A personal autistic perspective.
Like many people I watched with appalled fascination as the Parish Council meeting drama unfolded.
In some ways what happened was amusingly farcical. But on another level it was deeply disturbing.
#AllAutistics
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A personal autistic perspective.
Like many people I watched with appalled fascination as the Parish Council meeting drama unfolded.
In some ways what happened was amusingly farcical. But on another level it was deeply disturbing.
#AllAutistics
1/
As someone who had a 40 year career without knowing I was autistic, meetings presented me with some of my biggest challenges.
There was the frustration of being trapped in meetings poorly managed by other people, and the responsibility I felt to manage them well myself.
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There was the frustration of being trapped in meetings poorly managed by other people, and the responsibility I felt to manage them well myself.
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Many meetings take no account of accessibility issues, beyond rudimentary aspects of the built environment.
Virtual meetings are often no better. So much is assumed.
As someone who often found it difficult to contribute to group discussions, I always kept this in mind.
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Virtual meetings are often no better. So much is assumed.
As someone who often found it difficult to contribute to group discussions, I always kept this in mind.
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An obvious problem with meetings is they often shouldnât happen at all.
Like âtrainingâ they tend to be seen as the default way of getting things done, even when there are better solutions.
I found the desire to huddle together, and go round in circles, hard to understand.
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Like âtrainingâ they tend to be seen as the default way of getting things done, even when there are better solutions.
I found the desire to huddle together, and go round in circles, hard to understand.
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I resigned from one job when we had meetings, to plan future meetings, at which decisions would begin to be made... my style was much more hackathon than talking shop.
But for a long while I was immersed in cultures where meetings proliferated and became an amorphous mass.
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But for a long while I was immersed in cultures where meetings proliferated and became an amorphous mass.
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Part of the problem is that the stated purpose of a meeting often isnât the true purpose.
They so often involve:
Chit-chat
Power struggles
Stretching the truth
Undermining and hostility
Reading between the lines
How refreshing it would be to get a really honest agenda!
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They so often involve:
Chit-chat
Power struggles
Stretching the truth
Undermining and hostility
Reading between the lines
How refreshing it would be to get a really honest agenda!
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Of course meetings can be civil, collaborative and productive, but this is quite rare.
When #JackieWeaver was asked how she stayed so calm during an aggressive attack she said that she was concentrating on getting the job done.
Thatâs how I survived hostile meetings too.
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When #JackieWeaver was asked how she stayed so calm during an aggressive attack she said that she was concentrating on getting the job done.
Thatâs how I survived hostile meetings too.
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I met with elected members once to explain changes in the regulations on the disclosure of personal interests.
They were so hostile in the morning the Council Officer was surprised when I came back after lunch.
I was the messenger not the instigator, but they still shot me!
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They were so hostile in the morning the Council Officer was surprised when I came back after lunch.
I was the messenger not the instigator, but they still shot me!
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It didnât help that Council budget cuts had led to the usual morning coffee and biscuits being withdrawn.
This was treated as an outrage.
In the days when we still had face to face meetings, it was an unwritten rule that refreshments would make meetings go more smoothly.
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This was treated as an outrage.
In the days when we still had face to face meetings, it was an unwritten rule that refreshments would make meetings go more smoothly.
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Now I know Iâm autistic Iâve realised why I found meetings so incredibly exhausting.
I had to make a conscious effort to do things other people did quite effortlessly, like recognising faces, or distinguishing between different voices on audio only conference calls.
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I had to make a conscious effort to do things other people did quite effortlessly, like recognising faces, or distinguishing between different voices on audio only conference calls.
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Once more than one person speaks at the same time I struggle to hear anything at all. It makes me so agitated I struggle to participate.
People talking over other people isnât solved on Zoom or Teams, unless mikes are muted between contributions, or people are disciplined.
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People talking over other people isnât solved on Zoom or Teams, unless mikes are muted between contributions, or people are disciplined.
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Breaks in meetings donât always happen when theyâre supposed to. That matters too. Working through lunch is a problem for those of us who need recovery time.
Providing lunch, or bringing our own lunch, doesnât solve the problem. Itâs not just physical refreshment we need.
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Providing lunch, or bringing our own lunch, doesnât solve the problem. Itâs not just physical refreshment we need.
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Very long meetings are counterproductive. Concentration is hard to maintain, physical discomfort increases, they become an endurance test.
Meetings that overrun may discriminate against disabled people, those with caring responsibilities, even those using public transport.
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Meetings that overrun may discriminate against disabled people, those with caring responsibilities, even those using public transport.
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Accessible meetings take much more planning, whether they are face to face or virtual.
Misunderstandings can be rife. Things can quickly get out of control.
If everyone is going to get an equal chance to participate, itâs no use assuming theyâll just run themselves.
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Misunderstandings can be rife. Things can quickly get out of control.
If everyone is going to get an equal chance to participate, itâs no use assuming theyâll just run themselves.
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I was struck by how watching #HandforthParishCouncil made me feel. After Iâd laughed at the absurdity, I felt sad, then angry.
Sad because bullying and aggressive behaviour is still far too common in political life.
Angry because people feel entitled to behave like this.
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Sad because bullying and aggressive behaviour is still far too common in political life.
Angry because people feel entitled to behave like this.
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If we want more diverse representation of all sections of society in politics, business and public life, âmeeting cultureâ has to become more inclusive.
At the moment we canât even assume the more personal meetings held with us, and about us, will actually be accessible.
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At the moment we canât even assume the more personal meetings held with us, and about us, will actually be accessible.
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We need inclusive design principles for meetings, so we can rely on things like
*Explicit purpose
*Papers in advance
*Starts and ends on time
*Choice of how to contribute
*Managed, not a free-for-all
*Safe and sensorily friendly
*Accurate records kept
*Regular breaks
*Recaps
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*Explicit purpose
*Papers in advance
*Starts and ends on time
*Choice of how to contribute
*Managed, not a free-for-all
*Safe and sensorily friendly
*Accurate records kept
*Regular breaks
*Recaps
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There are a whole set of executive function challenges in being at the right meeting, at the right time.
I only recently realised why finding obscure rooms in labyrinthine university buildings was so difficult.
Numbering systems can be totally bizarre, as for signage...
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I only recently realised why finding obscure rooms in labyrinthine university buildings was so difficult.
Numbering systems can be totally bizarre, as for signage...
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Because I knew the gut-wrenching panic of not being able to find the right room, I would look out for lost students at the start of each academic year, and take them to where they needed to be.
There are apps to help people find their way around university buildings now.
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There are apps to help people find their way around university buildings now.
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The strangest meeting I attended was one I wasnât even supposed to be at. I had the same initials as the Dean and accidentally got invited to a meeting with the Vice Chancellor and a visiting dignitary.
I realised quite quickly I wasnât the person they expected to turn up!
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I realised quite quickly I wasnât the person they expected to turn up!
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Going back to #Handforth, this isnât the only time a Parish Council has gone rogue.
Aggressive behaviour deters people from participating, and undermines democracy.
There are monitoring systems in place, but sanctions arenât always that effective.
21/ https://cspl.blog.gov.uk/2016/07/08/why-standards-continue-to-matter/
Aggressive behaviour deters people from participating, and undermines democracy.
There are monitoring systems in place, but sanctions arenât always that effective.
21/ https://cspl.blog.gov.uk/2016/07/08/why-standards-continue-to-matter/
Thereâs an ugly side to meetings. They can be used to ambush people, subvert due process, and hide the truth.
Sometimes reality echoes the bit in films where the person whoâs supposed to be upholding justice is actually involved in the crime.
Treacherous and dangerous.
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Sometimes reality echoes the bit in films where the person whoâs supposed to be upholding justice is actually involved in the crime.
Treacherous and dangerous.
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The first traumatic meeting I was involved in was in the evening at a residential care home for older people.
This was the only place a Senior Manager was prepared to hear about the mistreatment of children in the care setting where I worked.
Conveniently off the record.
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This was the only place a Senior Manager was prepared to hear about the mistreatment of children in the care setting where I worked.
Conveniently off the record.
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âTheyâre retiring soonâ he said, referring to abusive staff members.
âIâm on my way up the ladderâ he said. âIf I stir up mud some of it will stick to me.â
âIf you ever mention this conversation Iâll deny itâ he said.
40 years on his words are still etched on my mind.
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âIâm on my way up the ladderâ he said. âIf I stir up mud some of it will stick to me.â
âIf you ever mention this conversation Iâll deny itâ he said.
40 years on his words are still etched on my mind.
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Iâm proud of my 21 year old self for insisting he should visit my workplace for a meeting with the manager and me.
He agreed but didnât turn up.
I sent my letter of resignation to the Director of Social Services asking for an opportunity to discuss my concerns.
No reply.
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He agreed but didnât turn up.
I sent my letter of resignation to the Director of Social Services asking for an opportunity to discuss my concerns.
No reply.
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I didnât know the full extent of the abuse that was going on.
Two decades later the truth came out and some kind of justice was done.
But the suffering and abuse these children experienced couldnât be repaired.
So much depends on whoâs listened to and whoâs believed.
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Two decades later the truth came out and some kind of justice was done.
But the suffering and abuse these children experienced couldnât be repaired.
So much depends on whoâs listened to and whoâs believed.
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The truth is very slippery sometimes. Especially when it comes to the way meetings are minuted.
Another personal foible is my preference for whatâs on record to resemble what happened.
Quite often people tweak minutes to reflect what they think they ought to have said.
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Another personal foible is my preference for whatâs on record to resemble what happened.
Quite often people tweak minutes to reflect what they think they ought to have said.
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Because Iâm strangely fascinated with the interpretation of local government Standing Orders, hereâs a detailed examination of whether #JackieWeaver did have the authority.
Itâs by my favourite legal expert @davidallengreen
#HandforthParishCouncil
https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1357646855123861504?s=21
28/ https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1357646855123861504
Itâs by my favourite legal expert @davidallengreen
#HandforthParishCouncil
https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1357646855123861504?s=21
28/ https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1357646855123861504
In my experience good meetings are the exception rather than the norm. Well-planned, properly run meetings, accessible to everyone, are so rare itâs a surprise if they happen.
Poorly planned and run meetings create more problems than they solve. And theyâre expensive.
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Poorly planned and run meetings create more problems than they solve. And theyâre expensive.
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On top of other expenses, thereâs the opportunity cost of work displaced by meetings.
Meetings may increase inequalities, spoil relationships, damage morale, or mar an organisationâs reputation.
They may even feature in legal disputes.
Meetings arenât always worth it.
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Meetings may increase inequalities, spoil relationships, damage morale, or mar an organisationâs reputation.
They may even feature in legal disputes.
Meetings arenât always worth it.
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