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Controlling the verbose MEC member

Medical Staff Leader Connection, September 15, 2004

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Dear Medical Staff Leader:

Have you ever found yourself sitting through a medical executive committee (MEC) meeting listening to one of your colleagues drone on about his pet issue or a current agenda item?  It is likely that you have indeed been in this situation. MECs often lack an effective mechanism to control such misuses of the committee's time. Your MEC colleagues across the country sent me the following comments about how they control verbose MEC members:

1. During a two day orientation and training session at the beginning of each year, this issue is raised and discussed. We plant a "shill" in the group who goes on and on about MEC members' useless pontification. Eventually the chair, leader of the session, or a physician attendee interrupts and, after acknowledging the plant's efforts, the point is made. 
 
2. Our MEC members agreed that if any member thinks an MEC meeting is not worthwhile, they are free to leave the room. A few members have actually left the meeting on occassion and the effect was amazing. The member monopolizing the discussion ended up talking just to the president of the medical staff.
 
3. We use a timer to keep tabs on the meeting's progress. If a member is wasting the committee's time, all MEC members turn their attention away from the verbal member and to the timer. It is a rude but effective method.
 
4. I won't let it happen. The members' time is too valuable to waste at an MEC meeting.  My standard comment is "Bill, put it in writing and the members will read your comments at their leisure. We must move on now."
 
It is important that you control unhelpful and unwanted discussion at MEC meetings. MEC members' time is valuable and medical staff leaders must protect their right to efficient and productive meetings. As Commander Spock once said, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."

That's all for this week.

All the best,

Hugh Greeley
www.greeley.com/seminars

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