Meraki Meeting Notes - January 9, 2018

Host: Mary Ellen Deschenes (Mellen)

Facilitator: Marin Magat

Attendees: Mellen, Pika, Oracle, Marin, Martin, Judy, John B, Lindy, Blair, Deb, Andy, Sheleigh, Cherie

Agenda  - Marin volunteers to facilitate and reads a proposed agenda she wrote (SCROLL DOWN FOR AGENDA) 

Discussion:

The group discussed Marin’s proposed agenda for the meeting as it is a departure from the regular format which is:  1) Meraki agendas are not made ahead of time but are formed by those present at the start of  each Meraki meeting 2) minutes from the prior meeting are read to bring everyone up-to-date. Her agenda was in response to attending recent Meraki meetings and some of the issues that have surfaced recently including the December meeting.

At the December meeting, it was decided to devote the entire agenda for he January Meraki meeting to the format for the new quarterly Meraki meetings scheduled to debut in February.  The proposed agenda suggested by Marin would not focus specifically on planning for the quarterly meeting. 

There was concern that following the format suggested by Marin would not allow time to prepare for February's post-dance quarterly meeting.  However, it was agreed that there was no reason the new quarterly meetings could not be moved to a later month (March). 

Some shared how they felt about the surprise change in the agenda, running the gambit from enthusiasm as well as concern and uncertainty about ice-breaking activities and/or breaking up into groups.

Is this a modification in the way Meraki will do things in the future? If so, how to identify facilitators with certain skill sets?  

Marin suggested no permanent change to Meraki format; just try a different process for this meeting which may help to gain perspective from everyone on a workable format for the quarterly meeting in March. Others agreed that it may be good idea to work things/get more clear on issues before starting the quarterly meetings.

VOTE to move the quarterly meeting from February to March.  PASSED

VOTE to proceed with Marin’s agenda and facilitation for the meeting.  PASSED

(REFER TO AGENDA BELOW)  Marin read the mission statement.  The rest of the meeting was experiential and interactive (small groups and reconvening into the large group with (3) report outs summarized below).  

Group 1, report out: 

Simplify meetings; use parliamentary procedure; review mission statement at each meeting, focus on unity (when tension arise), reflect on how we hold the dance (meeting reflect the dance), ask what PCD should be doing (perceptions differ), and match our energy/needs with what we can do.

Group 2, report out:

Discussed the idea of primary responsibility to preserve and protect the character of the dance.  Evaluate what we are doing (“Come for the dance, Come back for the community”).  Responsible for finances and committees have responsibility, like the WIZ, as in a recent successful example of resolving a dancer’s issue around safety. It was well done in the moment. We hold the dance, make it safe.  Do not want to create more committees or bureaucracies. Also asking ourselves, how are we running things - evaluate decision making (make advance agenda? who? the role of the  board etc.)

Group 3, report out:

PCD has a radical meeting structure not in line with other hierarchical structures. Unless we change that, strive for something more “sterile” …our meetings may sometimes seem  to be messy or have a some sloppy edges; we shouldn’t be scared of that.  Embrace it as part of our process.

There wasn’t time for large group synthesis and wrap up. Marin asked the small group note takers if they would be willing to type up their notes and send them to her.  She offered to synthesize them, finding parallels and outliers and bring it back to the group.  Martin concluded with a poem.

Thanks to Mellen, our host, and to Marin for facilitation.

Next Meraki meeting:  Wednesday, February 7th, 7-9 pm, Judy and Martin’s 10 Willis Street, Portland 

PROPOSED MERAKI AGENDA

for Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Purpose: Forward movement on Meraki meeting design using Right and Left Brain

-everyone feels seen and heard

-everything that wants to be said is said and included

-what is gleaned has a clear structure and next steps

Opening: (2 min)

-read PCD mission and vision

"Ice Breaker": (5 min)

-get "naked" with one another (pair off, look into each others eyes, and sit in silence alternating so each person gets "held").

Small Group: (45-60 min)

-World Cafe: break up into groups of 4.  Open discussion about Meraki with a notetaker.  Switch tables with "host" there to fill in the next group.  Continue discussion.. Switch again.

Break (10 min)

Large Group:  (10-20 min)

-Report out: each table highlights the commonalities and outliers in their discussion. 

Large Group:  (10-20 min) TABLED

-Synthesis & wrap up: Each table's output combined into one "map."  May do "sticker voting" on what has most resonance.  Identify next steps.

Announcements: (as time permits) TABLED

-committee announcements that do not need voting or feedback (2-3 min each)

-discussion items that do need voting or feedback (5 min each)

Closing: (2 min)

-reading of a poem related to PCD mission or vision