Picture this: a Zoom meeting with 60 participants, all levels from across the country, two departments, both want to be heard… and you’re facilitating… for the first time.
How does that make you feel? Anxious? Energized? Lots of internal questions anticipating what if’s… ? That’s what a leader I talked with this week was feeling.
It’s natural to be plagued with a million thoughts, sprinkled with doses of dread, as you plan for and picture opening a meeting, keeping it moving, engaging participants, wrapping it up.
Here’s a way to shift your thinking about it. View it as an experience, not an event. An experience engages your curiosity. Opens up your thinking. Triggers views from different perspectives. Builds upon your wisdom. Puts you in it.
Instead of the pass/fail, A+ or C- nature of an event, allow yourself to be the explorer. Lead as best you can while observing the participants. Get out of your head and think about the experience you want them to have. If all doesn’t go as planned, view it as instructive, instead of self-flogging.
Your wisdom continues to grow and strengthen as your experiences build upon experiences over time. It is unique, precious, strong. Allow it to guide you.
Keep in mind, you are a work in progress… We all are. And you will grow from this experience.
As you prepare for future meetings, don’t forget something really important. Enjoy the experience while you’re in it. That will surely affect how others experience it, too.
