Polle de Maagt

Before, during, after.

By Polle de Maagt · First published · Updated · 4 min read

Every event has three moments, and most of us only plan the middle one.

What it does

Makes you conscious of three phases around every event: what happens before, during and after.

Use it for
MeetingsEventsExperiences
You need
Nothing but attention
Origin
My own, 2020

The problem.

It may sound too simple to put into a model, but reflecting on the before, the during and the after of an event is too often overlooked. Each of these moments gets its fair share of attention deprivation.

People turn up ill-prepared for big things, the before. They are not fully present in the now, the during. And they fail to learn from what happened, the after. Companies do the same when they only focus on new customers and forget the ones they have.

It applies to meetings too, and I am guilty as charged. For most of my career I ignored the after.

The model.

  1. Before. Preparation and anticipation. How do I prepare myself and others, manage expectations, play with anticipation?
  2. During. Presence of mind. Making the most of the time together: time well spent and time well saved.
  3. After. Reflecting on what happened, and making sure there is a good follow-up.
BeforePrepare, setexpectations, buildanticipation.DuringBe present and makethe time count.AfterFollow up, thankpeople, reflect.
most of us only plan the middle one

Example.

  • Before a meeting: plan so that you are not late, and use the first part to make sure the rest of the meeting works (see the meeting canvas).
  • During: use the opening to get people into the room with their heads, and build a common understanding.
  • After: send the notes within 24 to 48 hours, thank everybody who made it possible, and take time to reflect.

What AI changes.

AI has moved into all three moments. It makes each of them easier, and each gets a new way to go wrong.

  1. Before. AI briefs you on the content, summarises it and tailors it to the people in the room. The flip side: some people no longer turn up at all, because the summary will reach them anyway.
  2. During. You can ask questions while the meeting runs, sharpen it as you go, and get a summary of what you missed or what was said between the lines. The flip side: people pay less attention, because something else is listening for them.
  3. After. Notes are ready straight away and much easier to use. The flip side: AI misinterprets what was said, and that misreading ends up in the notes.

The model holds. AI takes work out of the before and the after, but it cannot be present for you during.

Why it matters now.

Back-to-back calendars leave no room for the before and the after. That is exactly where a meeting turns into a decision, and a decision into action.

Try this

Block ten minutes after your next important meeting. Use them for the after: check the AI notes against what you heard, thank people, and note one thing to do differently next time.

Origin: my own model. First published here in May 2020.

Your version of this

Tried it, or thinking about it?

Let me know how it went.

Let's talk →How I work
Polle de Maagt

Keep reading

All tools →