TECH Dean: At First It Seemed Artificial

By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photos: Trine Schack, iPixel og Ida Marie Jensen, AAU

Most people have probably sat in meetings where the same few people do all the talking and where far from all opinions and perspectives are expressed. Dean Thomas Bak has sat in many such meetings. He has also chaired meetings that were like that. But since he attended AAU's annual Leadership Day on diversity a few years ago, he has worked to create more inclusive meetings. Both at the Technical Faculty of IT and Design (TECH) and at the Faculty of Engineering and Science (ENGINEERING) where he is currently acting dean.

"It seemed artificial and almost a bit dramatic to me when I started working according to the principles. It really changed the dynamics of the meetings," says Thomas Bak.

The dean clearly expressed that now they should try something new. He began to take a new seat at each meeting and made sure to change the speaking order at meetings. That way, it wasn’t always the same person having the floor first and thus helping to set the mood for the rest of the meeting. At the same time, he occasionally asked participants to take a minute to reflect on their answer before presenting it. That way, it wasn’t always first impulses on the table.

"It shifted something, I think. It made for more pleasant meetings, but I also think that we make better decisions when we hear all opinions," says Thomas Bak.

Tips card is a physical reminder

This spring, AAU's Committee for Equality and Diversity launched a card with eight tangible principles and tools for inclusive meeting management.

The tips card has renewed Thomas Bak's interest in the principles and has become a physical, tangible reminder to remember to use the concrete tips that he has already experienced as things that work.

"We have an effective but informal meeting culture at TECH. If someone talks for too long, I usually make a joke of it by waving the card a little. But behind the joking is of course also the point that there must be room for everyone," says the dean.

As head of the Department of Sustainability and Planning, Anne Merrild Hansen takes part in the dean's monthly meetings with the faculty management team at TECH. As head of department, she works to create a good meeting culture in her department, and she clearly feels that this is also a focus for Thomas Bak.

"I can sometimes be one of those people who just sits and thinks about things. Thomas knows this, so he may ask me directly if I have anything I want to share. Then I just get my thoughts together, and it's extremely important that we give each other time and are present," says Anne Merrild Hansen.

The principles of inclusive meeting management are, according to the head of department, very natural. Anne Merrild Hansen herself is very concerned with the tone when she a chairs a meeting:

"For me, it's not just about us talking to each other properly. We must also show each other appreciation. It means a lot in a dialogue to remark 'that was actually a really good point you made there. You can also look at it this way'. So that it doesn't all just become a battle of words," says Anne Merrild Hansen.

Mandatory for managers – but relevant for everyone

The principles of inclusive meeting management were developed as part of a masterclass on inclusive leadership that the Executive Management attended in January 2024. The Executive Management subsequently decided that the course should also be mandatory for heads of department, heads of secretariat and deputy directors at AAU. However, Anne Merrild Hansen and Thomas Bak believe that many others could also benefit from working with the principles at meetings. The principles are not just for top management.

"A good piece of advice is: Try it. You don't have to focus on everything at once. Try swapping seats. Go 'round the table' instead of only hearing from those who quickly raise their hand to speak, says Anne Merrild Hansen.

She adds:

"It is often in the reflections and nuances that the golden nuggets emerge. The principles are not just about making people feel better, but about actually making better decisions."

Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs.