Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Contemplative writing is a valuable practice. It is far more valuable and far less used than shallow meetings.

In my 28 years working for the government, I attended countless meetings where much of nothing was discussed. I avoided far more if these meetings than I attended. Meetings are a characteristic of government at all levels. The results of these government meetings are obvious.

Alternatives?

Author and consultant Jerry Weinberg offered me one.

Contemplative Writing

This practice stems from writing in a journal. The basic procedure is:

1. Stop
2. Sit at a table that has a blank sheet of paper and a pencil
3. Breathe
4. Think
5. Write your thoughts – questions, alternatives, possible outcomes
6. Write your feelings
7. Go back to step 3 and repeat

This practice requires:

1. chair
2. table
3. blank sheet of paper
4. pencil
5. time

Items 1 through 4 are plentiful and inexpensive. Item 5 is often cited as nonexistent. We can find time if we cancel a few shallow meetings.

Hmmm, now we have no more excuses.