How To Conduct
Effective Meetings
1. Have
somebody in charge who people respect and will defer to.
For better or for worse, this
is the most efficient way.
2. Have each
attendee or key attendees have something to REPORT, not just
discuss.
This creates ownership and
responsibility.
3. Do most of
the work of the meeting BEFORE the meeting itself.
It's hard to get work
done/alliances made/problems solved DURING a meeting -- take
care of most of this 1-1 before the meeting itself.
4. Start the
meeting on time, every time.
And, don't accept comments
from those who are late. People will learn soon enough to be
on time.
5. Schedule
some meetings WITHOUT formalized agendas.
These would include brain
storming sessions, open forums, etc. A formal agenda would
squelch input and creativity. A highly valuable meeting
doesn't have to be oriented around/justified by a preset
agenda!
6. Schedule
random meetings, not just regular ones.
Staff meetings at 8am every
Monday, don't always work well. Folks get into a routine,
get bored, etc. Schedule meetings designed to accomplish
something.
7. Have the
first 15 minutes be chatty, catch up time; then get into the
meeting.
Warm everyone up by casual
chatter for the first part of the meeting. this releases any
pent up energy in the room, leaving folks more open.
8. Schedule
TeleMeetings and Chat meetings, not just in-person meetings.
Some meetings are BETTER if
they AREN'T in person/onsite. Use teleconferencing and web
chat rooms when possible.
9. Don't make
the meeting a production.
Slides are cool; handouts are
nice. But they are expensive and may not really cause the
type input/collaboration that meetings are best for. Ask
yourself: "Am I trying to educate/impress/enroll folks or do
I need their help to solve/create something?" If the former,
do the dog and pony show; if the latter, don't.
10. Label the
TYPE of meeting it's going to be on the announcement memo.
Is the meeting going to be a
discussion? Or a reporting session? Or a brainstorming
opportunity? Or a value-added session? Or a problem-solving
one? Or a crisis one? Give attendees the CONTEXT for the
meeting, not just the time, date, location and agenda.
How to Complete
Your Work
Complete work means that
whatever task you're doing is being done so perfectly and
thoroughly that nothing about it is unclear, confusing or not
fully thought out by you or when communicating with another.
1. If
experiencing a problem:
What system needs to be
installed to prevent this problem, its brother, sister and
cousin, from ever coming your way again?
2. If sending an
email:
Assume this person is extremely
overwhelmed and barely remembers his name, much less what I
emailed him about earlier, what can I include in my email to
him so that he clearly understands what I am saying, what I am
asking for and what's really important that he get -- whether
he asked for it or not.
3. If asking for
something;
a. Tell the person exactly what
you need (Size, shape, name, format, version). b. Why you need
it (the context, background, problem). c. How you want it (fedex,
email, immediately, later, by when).
4. If instructing
someone:
Assume the person is an idiot
and will misunderstand what you're writing unless you spell
out each step distinctly.
5. If closing the
sale: Double close and triple close by:
a. Asking what concerns they
have. b. Sensing and responding to what they aren't saying,
questions they have. c. Being in touch with what YOU'RE
feeling.
6. If asking for
a change:
a. Condition the change. b.
Tell the person why you're making a change. c. Tell the person
what you want them to do and by when. d. Offer
support/access/Q&A time.
7. If surprised
by something:
a. Ask yourself why you were
surprised; why didn't you know beforehand? b. Ask yourself
what it means; is it good or bad; serious or not. c. What is
the risk that has been added or that is potential?
8. When presented
with an opportunity:
a. Ask yourself how this might
bring down your business. b. Notice how you are responding --
adrenaline, greed? c. Ask yourself how this opportunity might
cost you in other areas. d. Ask yourself if it's really worth
it.
9. If informing
someone of something:
a. Give the who, why, where,
how, when, and what of it in the first paragraph. b. Ask
yourself how what you are saying might be misheard and cause
fear. c. Ask yourself the questions that any reasonable person
would ask themselves when reading what you just wrote and then
weave in these answers to your communication.
10. If reacting
emotionally to a situation:
a. Ask yourself why you're
reacting; what does this bring up for you? b. Ask yourself: Is
the other person a jerk? And if, so, why are they in my life?
c. Respond with a request that the other person act
differently. d. Take responsibility for your PART in the
matter. Emotional reactions don't just happen on their own. It
may be a dynamic/racket that you created, even without meaning
to. e. AND FINALLY, notice where you didn't do complete work
somewhere along the process, that got you to this upsetting
place right now. Fix that and you'll fix the upset
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