ABA Inside Track, Episode 252 - (SUPERVISION) Planning and Running Awesome Meetings

Date: September 13, 2023
Hosts: Robert Perry Crews, Diana, Jackie
Theme: How to plan and conduct effective meetings in behavior analytic supervision—and beyond.

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on practical strategies for planning and running engaging, productive, and purposeful meetings, with a special emphasis on their role in supervision for behavior analysts. The hosts review key literature and best practices, offer real-world examples, and discuss actionable tools—including checklists and behavioral rehearsal—to level up your meeting game and train supervisees to do the same.

Key Discussion Points

1. Why Talk About Meetings? (02:00–07:30)

• Meetings are a universal workplace experience—often dreaded, sometimes vital.
• Bad meetings waste time and diminish job satisfaction; good meetings catalyze ideas, foster collaboration, and improve outcomes.
  • “There is nothing inherent about meetings that makes them bad. So it is entirely possible to transform them into compelling, productive and fun activities.” – Rob (12:42), citing Lencioni via Leblanc & Nosek.
• In helping professions (including ABA), up to 47% of one’s workday may be spent in meetings (07:15).

Quote:

“If you hate going to meetings and you spend about 50% of your day in meetings, you hate half of your job.” — Rob (09:04)

2. Types of Meetings in Behavior Analysis (11:20–22:04)

Based on LeBlanc & Nosek (2019):

• Supervision and Performance Management Meetings
  One-on-one, focused on supervision goals, relationship building, feedback, and shaping professional skills.
• Communication Meetings
  For updates, announcements, or sharing important news—should only be in-person if content can’t be effectively handled in an email. (“If you can write the same thing that you're going to talk about in a 30 minute meeting in a 50 to 125-word email, just send the email.” – Rob, 12:52)
• Problem-Solving Meetings
  For brainstorming and tackling issues as a group. Caveat: Often called in a rush; can be unproductive if not enough info is gathered in advance.
  • “If you get called into a meeting to talk about an emergency and the take home is, well, we all need to go gather information. You had a bad meeting, in my opinion.” — Rob (17:12)
• Project Management/Product Generation Meetings
  Working sessions for longer-term tasks; tend to be more collaborative and semi-structured.

3. What Makes a Meeting “Good”? (27:14–33:34)

• Five Key Characteristics (per research):

  1. Punctuality: Starts/ends on time, appropriate scheduling, functional technology, comfortable environment (29:21).
  2. Clear Agenda: Sent in advance, specifies purpose, content, roles, and timeframes.
  3. Minutes Kept and Shared: Documenting proceedings and action items (30:31).
  4. Designated Leader: Someone who guides, opens, and closes the meeting.
  5. Purposeful Participation: Attendees are selected for relevance; those without a clear role may leave early.

• Transparency & Purpose:
  Regular meetings with unclear or “unstated” purposes sap trust. Be explicit about goals and content (31:23).

• Planning Ahead:
  Avoid “short-notice” meetings unless necessary; respect stakeholders’ schedules to maximize attendance and engagement (32:04).

  Quote:

  “If you have too many short notice meetings, it's very stressful…it cuts up work productivity.” — Jackie (32:13)

4. Planning: Before the Meeting (35:12–42:00)

• Crafting the Agenda:

  • Supervisee Should Build Agenda: Train supervisees to prepare the agenda at least 24 hours in advance; supervisors add or adjust as needed (35:12–36:19).
  • Agenda Components: Purpose, list of items/tasks, time, place, attendees, expected end time.

  Quote:

  “If [the supervisee doesn't] fill the agenda in, you don't have the meeting.” – Jackie (37:20)

• Invite Only Needed Participants:
  Use a checklist approach; only include those with something to add.

• Virtual vs. In-person:
  Hybrid meetings are suboptimal; prefer all in-person or all online depending on meeting needs (41:15).

5. Leading & Managing During the Meeting (43:06–49:12)

• Opening the Meeting:

  • Start on time (“don't punish punctual attendees”—Rob, 43:47)
  • State rules and contingencies.
  • Set expectations and review agenda.
  • Keep introductions brief unless relationship-building is a primary objective.

• Facilitation Tips:

  • Assign (or rotate) roles: note-taker, timekeeper, etc.
  • Use prompts for redirection (“Could you clarify that point a little bit more?”) as suggested in LeBlanc & Nosek’s Table 1 (48:19–49:12).
  • Model adherence to meeting rules and deal privately with adult behavior issues as necessary.

• Wrap-Up:

  • Summarize proceedings and next steps.
  • Share meeting minutes within 24–48 hours.

6. Follow-Up and Feedback (49:39–53:49)

• Schedule needed follow-ups at meeting’s end.
• **Optional: Send post-meeting survey for feedback on meeting effectiveness.
• Use published checklists to guide planning and leading.

7. Supervision-Specific Strategies (53:49–67:42)

• Modeling: Supervisor should demonstrate both professional and caring behaviors (smile, be attentive, give positive and constructive feedback) (54:29–59:16).
• Professionalism: Model punctuality, honor commitments, and timely provide/return materials.
• Trainee Practice:
  • Give trainees concrete opportunities to lead, time-keep, note-take, set agenda, or “open” and “close” meetings.
  • Debrief and provide specific feedback using checklists and self-assessments.
  • Solicit feedback from trainees about your own meeting leadership.
• Behavioral Skills Training: Rehearse, observe, provide feedback, and adjust.

Quote:

“Just watching someone else do something well doesn't automatically mean that you are then going to be able to do it well yourself. You have to actually go through the process of learning how to do it.” — Diana (60:47)

8. Additional Resources and Memorable Moments

• Notable Literature Discussed:

  • LeBlanc & Nosek, "Planning and Leading Effective Meetings" (2019)
  • Francisco Francisco, "How to Create and Facilitate Meetings that Matter" (2007)
  • Sellers, Valentino, LeBlanc, "Recommended Practices for Individual Supervision..." (2016)

• Favorite Tool:
  The meeting planning checklists and flowcharts (e.g., “Does this meeting need to happen? Yes/No? If no, cancel.”) — 61:26

• Humorous Asides:

  • Recurring jokes about “bad meetings” and the pop song “Bad Day” (17:16)
  • Tips for hiding online shopping during virtual meetings (04:15)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “There is nothing inherent about meetings that makes them bad.” – Rob (12:42), quoting Lencioni
• “If you can write the same thing...in a 50 to 125 word email, just send the email. Don’t have that meeting.” – Rob (12:52)
• “If you have too many short notice meetings, it’s very stressful… it cuts up work productivity.” – Jackie (32:13)
• “If [the supervisee] doesn’t fill the agenda in, you don’t have the meeting.” – Jackie (37:20)
• “Just watching someone else do something well doesn’t automatically mean that you are then going to be able to do it well yourself.” – Diana (60:47)
• “Could have been an email. This podcast could have been an email. Just kidding.” – Diana (67:42)

Key Takeaways

• Solid preparation (agenda, purpose, attendees, logistics) is the key to effective meetings.
• Only hold a meeting if it really needs to happen.
• Train supervisees to plan, structure, and lead meetings by providing real opportunities and timely feedback.
• Meetings should be structured, purposeful, and have only the necessary participants.
• Leverage checklists and frameworks from the literature.
• Don’t forget to model pleasant, attentive, and professional behavior in all meetings.

Listen for These Notable Segments

• Types of Meetings & When/Why to Hold Them – 11:20–22:04
• Agenda-Building & Participant Selection – 35:12–42:00
• Leading & Managing the Meeting – 43:06–49:12
• Training Supervisees: Practice & Feedback – 53:49–67:42