software staff meetings and a few crucial questions

These questions actually come from “The Software Developer’s Career Handbook” (“Being Geek”) by Michael Lopp. Beware: not every yes is a good yes.

• Is there an agenda?
• Is it followed?
• Is random debate encouraged?
• Can debate occur without involving the manager?
• Is debate limited to a specific time?
• Is the time allotted for the meeting always filled?
• Can it go over?
• Does it always go over?
• Is it a fun meeting?

Well, I have the book in front of me, and I know, what Michael Lopp thinks are positive yes-s, he calls them organic. If I look back at one particular bank project during the last couple of years, the manager utterly failed in terms of this check.The manager let aggressive Geek style team members bash others, because they dared to prolong the staff meeting, and because these other teem members asked questions, that the first ones already got dealt with in a 1:1 outside the staff meeting.