| How productive are your business meetings? | | | | understanding before disagreeing. |
| Would you describe the culture that governs | | | | |
| your meetings to more resemble World War III | | | | 7. If you are the recorder, distribute |
| or crazy chaos? During a meeting, do you | | | | complete and accurate minutes to everyone |
| focus on the agenda at hand or do you | | | | within 48 hours after the meeting. |
| concentrate more on breaking a foam cup into | | | | |
| bits? Would you qualify eating all of the | | | | 8. If you agree to something, do what you say |
| donuts in a meeting as a major accomplishment | | | | you will do. Be accountable to each other. |
| in your agenda? If these meeting scenarios | | | | |
| sound familiar to you, you are not alone! | | | | 9. Sarcasm, personal attacks, interrupting, |
| Many studies have shown that more time is | | | | dominating the discussion, or engaging in |
| wasted in meetings than in any other business | | | | distracting behavior during a meeting are all |
| activity. It is estimated that people spend | | | | non-productive behaviors. We agree not to |
| 20-40% (upper management is much more) of | | | | engage in them. |
| their time in meetings and that meetings are | | | | |
| only 44-50% efficient (source: Steve Kaye). | | | | 10. It is okay to disagree during a meeting, |
| By improving the efficiency of your next | | | | but once the group has made a decision, it |
| meeting, you may increase your bottom line. | | | | needs to be supported by everyone outside of |
| | | | the meeting. Passive resistance, sabotage, |
| The first step in improving the efficiency of | | | | negative gossip and guerrilla warfare are not |
| your business meetings is to recognize that | | | | okay. |
| meetings are a collaborative effort. The | | | | |
| very definition of a meeting is a TEAM | | | | 11. Remember to celebrate successes and to |
| activity where SELECT people gather to | | | | thank members for their efforts. |
| perform WORK that requires GROUP effort. All | | | | |
| participants of a meeting, therefore, must | | | | In addition to implementing these concepts, |
| play a role in remaining focused and | | | | an effective meeting leader must enforce a |
| progressing through the meeting in a timely | | | | code of conduct in order to maintain a safe |
| manner. | | | | environment for discussing ideas. The |
| | | | meeting facilitator should compel the meeting |
| Before calling a meeting, it must first be | | | | attendees to follow some simple guidelines to |
| decided whether it is necessary. Remember a | | | | ensure an orderly meeting: |
| meeting is not always the most effective way. | | | | |
| Other options available might be sending a | | | | Work as a team |
| memo or an email. It is the responsibility | | | | |
| of the meeting solicitor to determine the | | | | No rank in the room |
| need for calling the meeting and who should | | | | |
| attend. In general, it is best to invite as | | | | One speaker at a time |
| few participants as possible (key players | | | | |
| only). The solicitor must also review the | | | | Be an attentive listener |
| organizations calendar, reserve the meeting | | | | |
| room and assign a meeting facilitator to be | | | | Focus on the issue |
| in charge of the agenda. | | | | |
| | | | Respect others |
| Effective meetings necessitate leadership. | | | | |
| Leading a meeting requires attention, | | | | Suspend judgment |
| confidence, creativity, diplomacy, empathy, | | | | |
| flexibility, wits, toughness and yes, humor! | | | | Allow curiosity |
| The primary role of the leader is to | | | | |
| establish the ground roles for the meeting | | | | Maintain confidentiality |
| which are namely: to minimize confusion and | | | | |
| disruptions and to institute a code of | | | | It is as equally important to end a meeting |
| conduct. Some examples of team game rules | | | | efficiently as it is to conduct it. Besides |
| that are designed to make meetings more | | | | just ending a business meeting on time there |
| effective are: | | | | should be a review of agenda items and |
| | | | results, as well as assignments. A set agenda |
| 1. If you are planning to introduce a | | | | for the next meeting should also be prepared. |
| proposal or discuss an issue in a group | | | | |
| meeting, send out any relevant information to | | | | Having an effective business meeting is a key |
| all team members several days before the | | | | ingredient to having a successful business. |
| meeting. | | | | If you would like more information on this |
| | | | subject, please feel free to contact us. |
| 2. Review the agenda and bring any relevant | | | | |
| materials with you to the meeting so that we | | | | Jennifer Selland is the Founder and President |
| can make informed decisions. | | | | of Well-Run Concepts, a Human Resource |
| | | | Consulting Firm based in Ocala Florida, |
| 3. Dont lobby a few members before the | | | | founded in 1997, whose mission is to Help |
| meeting and try to ram an idea down the | | | | Organizations Define and Develop Top Talent. |
| throats of the rest of the group in a | | | | Jennifer has over 15 years of Human Resource |
| surprise attack. Keep issues above-board and | | | | Management and Executive Operational hotel |
| inclusive. Fight fair. | | | | experience. |
| | | | |
| 4. Come to the meetings on time. | | | | Well-Run Concepts |
| | | | |
| 5. If you are going to be absent, inform | | | | "Helping Organizations Define and Develop Top |
| others beforehand and send a stand-in who can | | | | Talent." |
| make at least some decisions in your name. | | | | |
| | | | 303 S.E. 17th St. |
| 6. Focus on listening and seeking | | | | |