Mindful Meeting Magic!

Intention is change fueled and a core piece of village raising. 

Behind every goal, strategic plan, meeting or collaborative encounter there is an intention lurking. The idea is to become increasingly more mindful to the intentions, bringing them from our subconscious to our consciousness so that we can be more direct and aware of the path we are setting.

One of the leading gurus on intention, Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "The secret to changing your life is in your intentions. Wishing, hoping and goal setting cannot accomplish change without intention. What is needed is a shift from the inert energy of wanting to the active energy of doing and intention".

Where can we surface intent while working with others?

As designers of creative group processes, we have reflected on some practical ways in which mindful intent beckons us to bring it front and center. Here is what has worked for us:

Physical space/environment:  Before a gathering even occurs, think about the location of your meeting.  Being intentional in the spaces we choose sets the tone for the type of interaction we hope will evolve. If you are thinking creative - be playful and unexpected with the environment.  If you are thinking renewal and rejuvenation – design a space to be calm and filled with natural elements.  If you are thinking relationship building and networking – use a space to allow movement and connection.

Agendas:  Imagine starting every agenda clearly stating what your intent is for the day and giving space to learn what other people’s intents are.  Design an agenda that offers an opportunity for people to share. The moment intents are spoken out loud there is a transparent and open agenda that increases trust.  Intent expresses clear expectations.

Guiding principles/Ground Rules:  Build on your mindful meeting magic by crafting questions that have your group think intently together. For example, ask a key question such as, “how do we want to be together?” and feel the intent in the room.  In this form, intents are the commitment to each other in the collaborative effort. What if every person set their own intent to be responsible for their own reactions and level of participation? Ask people to set intent around how they will handle their own feelings/reactions/learning and speak to it. In this case intent is accountability.  Think about work plans clear in intent and imagine what could be accomplished!

 Mindful intention enhances meeting tone, expectations, commitment and accountability. In our next three blogs we will go into each of these in more detail...watch for it and share with us how you create mindful meeting magic.