RUN WITH THE Big dogS™ newsletter
 Volume 3, issue 29

Would your management meetings be more effective with a wild card participant?...John

Management idea

Adding a middle manager to senior manager meetings can produce positive results.  It removes the mystery of exactly what happens when senior management disappear for a day or two to plan.  Their participation adds a different, day-to-day operations perspective, while providing grooming and growth for future leaders.

We have a client that makes sure that there is a middle manager attending every strategic planning meeting.  Part of the annual process of strategic planning includes a formal presentation of this year's plan to their two dozen middle managers. Exposing them to this presentation allows middle managers to have a broader context for their work.

A different middle manager attends as a fully vested participant in each annual and review meeting.  They participate exactly like the others. Consistently,  the presence of a wild card member has resulted in the senior team gaining an enhanced understanding of the wild cards' area.  

Make sure, however,  that the managers chosen have a broad perspective, can be discreet with regards to discussions of confidential topics, and understands what is expected of them.