Minutes

While I was wondering what a good leader is and what brings people together, I attended another gangsters' meeting.

I shall not describe what happened. In fact it is rather difficult to figure out what actually happened. When some of my colleagues sat down together afterwards and recollect the event, I had a deja vu feeling of watching Rashomon (羅生門) because everyone seemed to be giving a somewhat different account and it is impossible to determine what the truth is - if there is one.

Nonetheless there are lessons that we could learn.

For example, meeting is not meant for discussion or making decisions, but for documentation of decisions and announcing them. Critical discussion should take place well in advance of the meeting in order to arrive at the conclusion. The doctrine is, if you have not finished with the minutes of a meeting, don't call one.

You may ask: Aren't all these taught by Humphrey Appleby?

True. But, as Andre Gide said, everything has been said, but nobody was listening.