Too many cooks…?

Yeah, yeah, I know, when building a large corporate project like values or a mission statement, everybody should have a say. Everyone should participate so we can wrap a bow around it and present the results to the rest of the company as a “team” effort.” In a perfect world, well of course. But the larger the group, the longer the process, and the more it starts to look and feel like a jury pool of reluctant participants.

In some cases these folks are drafted into the process by a manager who wants someone in his group to represent them. Fair enough. Everyone wants some of their pee stain on the carpet. But when committees can’t commit because they lose sight of the overall goal and vision, then it falls to the facilitator to snap the group out of it and bring them back to earth.

In my opinion, the person running the show should at least have a possible end in mind when undertaking the project. I call it bringing them around to my conclusion:)  I joke. Kinda.

With all the grandstanding, personal agendas, fear of looking silly, political correctness, focus on minutiae and of course, those seat warmers who are singing to themselves, “If you’ve got the money honey, I’ve got the time.”

Welcome to Malfunction Junction. It’s not unusual to hear one of the group say after the meeting “did we just agree on something?” They were in the “zone free” zone.

We’ve all heard the term “death by committee,” well, it’s real, look at the government. These opportunities should be a learning experience, not a marathon. The person in charge should have the talent and experience to question, cajole, direct and facilitate these jurors to a unanimous verdict. Court dismissed.