Jason Gangewere's Page

Hey Jason,
Sounds like you have a great opportunity in front of you. The meetings that I found to be the most beneficial have always had honesty, participation, and relevance. It was all about every member of the team being heard and finding how Fish can/does impact your organization. For your first meeting I would suggest having a simple plan and seeing where the conversation goes. Maybe start by asking the group for examples of what the Fishmongers did for each element and the effect it had. Then ask the group to think about what you're doing currently and how they can apply simple principles to start. You could do this as a whole group or break your team up (with different members from different locations). A take away might be to implement the ideas your team comes up with and report back as well as coming up with more ideas that might not be so obvious at first but could definitely impact greatly. Since your team spans a large area, think about how they can communicate with each other. Is there a web place (blog) somewhere they can share ideas or thoughts? Maybe a little competition to see which location can come up with the most ideas for next meeting or best implementation strategies they used. Talking is what it's all about. Some of the best meetings I had dealt with very real and difficult subjects that my team came up with. And instead of answering them from a managerial perspective, I challenged the group to come up with an answer. An important rule I always had was paint and gun powder thinking. Though the idea a person brings to the table may not seem feasible, from that idea may spark something very real and deliverable. Best of luck to you and if you need anything else let me know.

Happy Thanksgiving

P.S. - Have fun!!!!