minutes to a meeting : Running Successful Meetings

We all complain about meetings which are a waste of our time and the truth of the matter is that so many are exactly that. We've also seen the "corridor" meeting that takes place afterwards where it seems the real decisions are taken, or the agreed decisions are overturned.

You'll get your chance at some point in your career to run your own meeting - is yours going to go the same way? or will you make sure it's effective and does the job it is supposed to?

Well run meetings contribute to team building and high morale; badly run meetings are at best a waste of everyone's time and at worst potentially damaging to relationships and the business as a whole.

Here's how you can get it right:

All successful meetings depend upon a number of independent factors and if you approach each one methodically you'll find that your meetings are the ones that get action.

Planning

Preparation

Information

Structure & control

Records & action

Planning

What is the meeting intended to achieve?

what will the meeting actually achieve?

what happens if you don't hold the meeting

who needs to attend and why?

is there a more effective way of communicating?

Preparation

prepare and circulate an agenda in advance;

invite agenda items before the meeting;

arrange agenda logically;

consider the important - v - the urgent issue;

arrange the timings and set limits;

clarify objectives for each item.

Information

tell those involved what's expected of them;

tell everyone time, date location etc;

circulate any required pre-reading or information.

Structure & Control

Discuss each item in turn;

seek contributions but keep people to the point;

avoid going over old ground;

be aware of thre needs of the group;

prevent splinter discussion groups;

summarise often to bring back to the point;

commend contributions;

confirm any conclusions;

stress actions and who takes it.

Records & Action

record discussions, actions and responsibilities;

produce clear simple minutes immediately.

There are a number of points to learn about the effective handling of meetings:

invite the right people;

set an agenda that's do-able;

control timings and people;

encourage members to listen to each other;

note actions;

review and record

So if you want to avoid the "let's all turn up and see what happens" approach it just means you need to take the time to think through to what you really want and need to achieve, and then get on with it. People will thank you for not wasting their, or your, time.

Peter Fisher is a Director of Career Consulting Limited and provides pragmatic career advice at all levels from junior staff to executive directors. Visit http://www.your-career-change.com/index.html for help with career change issues from self-marketing to CV writing and Interview techniques.

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minutes to a meeting : Is a Condo Right for You?

Condos offer an affordable alternative to buying a house, at often half the price of a single family home. Before you buy one, you should be extra cautious.

In some areas, construction-defect litigation is rampant, sale disclosures are troublesome and new and confusing laws are often enacted, and frankly, you have to be a little tough to live in such close proximity with your neighbors... and their newborn baby.

Condominiums are typically high-density housing constructed as what's known as common interest developments. You own everything on your side of the walls of your unit. You become a shareholder in the remainder of the buildings, grounds and other facilities. As a shareholder, you are a mandatory member of the common interest development's homeowner's association, who is responsible for the upkeep and care of the building and grounds.

Condo owners collectively make the decisions that many single-family owners make themselves. The decisions involve everything from homeowner budgets that consist of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the rules, regulations and other operating guidelines.

The task of running the association is usually handles by a group of inexperienced volunteer owners who make up the board of directors.

If you are looking at purchasing a condo, follow these tips:

- Hire a real estate attorney with a proven track record in condo transactions. You need someone who is familiar with condos and the laws that govern them.

-Obtain a copy of all condo documentation before you close. In many states, the seller must disclose the condo's corporate and governing documents, newsletters, association meeting minutes and more. You may find the association slow to deliver, but keep pressing them.

-Review all bylaws, rules and other documents before you make your decision. If you don't feel like you can follow them, find another community or buy a single-family home.

-Pay attention to the details. Look at the age of the community, reserves studies, outstanding litigations, home owners' dues and assessments. Your attorney will explain what they mean to you financially.

-Get to know your neighbors. This isn't a month-to-month lease. You are stuck with these people for the duration of your ownership.

-Check out the association, especially the board of directors, to see how they manage the community. Look at the minutes of the last few meeting to see what issues were addressed. If the association uses a management company, do a background check on it.

Buying a condo is often a perfect solution for many potential home owners. They are usually a little cheaper, require much less upkeep and offer a community and great facilities. If you are currently renting, and love the lifestyle, but hate that you aren't building equity, look into a condo. If you are retired and no longer want to climb on the roof to clear leaves out of the gutters, consider a condo. But check it out thoroughly before you decide.

Martin Lukac, represents http://www.RateEmpire.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies! Visit http://www.RateEmpire.com today.

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minutes to a meeting : Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail to Create Successful Change

A bold title, don’t you think? I mean, change is a complex thing, so to define five reasons seems to oversimplify the issue.

Let me be clear. There are far more pitfalls than these and far more possible reasons change doesn’t have the desired effect. The key in this title isn’t “Five Reasons,” it is “Leaders Fail.” Yes, there are many variables that can influence the success of change – but some of them must be owned by those leading the change.

This article will identify some of those typical failures, and while it can’t in this brief format give you all the answers, it can point you in the right direction and give you some suggested courses of action.

Lack of Commitment

George knew he had to shake things up in his team. Other departments were complaining that his department wasn’t responsive or even accurate in their work at times. So he started looking for ways to improve some work processes and get the team’s attention. He held a couple of meetings to explain the situation and ask for suggestions. He even got volunteers to look at some of the work processes and got the group some help to make this happen. But deep down, George didn’t want to make these changes. He was happy with his team. He didn’t have any major problems internally and was afraid these work process reviews were going to reveal that he had people that would need to go.

George was mouthing the words of change, but he wasn’t really committed to the change himself.

Want to create successful change? Get committed!

Lack of Communication

Lisa had explained the case for change clearly, so she thought. She even talked to some of her VP’s and Department Heads and they agreed – her message was firm, strong and hopeful. Everyone should clearly understand the reasons for this change and the steps that the organization would be taking. Three months later Lisa wondered what had gone wrong. What she didn’t realize was that successful change requires more than just great initial communication – it also requires ongoing formal and informal repeating of these messages. Communicating and communicating; both for clarity and for comfort, so people really get it.

Want successful change? Communicate, communicate and communicate. Early and often, formally and informally.

Lack of Patience

Tom got it. He really understood why this change was important. Admittedly, it took him awhile to really get on board, but once he got it, he was 100% committed. Soon he was showing impatience with everyone else, asking himself things like: Why isn’t this change happening faster? Why aren’t people on board? Why is there still resistance? Unfortunately he forgot how long it took him to really get committed. Tom made the mistake of assuming that everyone “gets it” at the same rate. It takes some people longer to become comfortable with a change. It doesn’t make them bad or dumb or lazy or unmotivated. The fact is not everyone gets on board the same day.

Want successful change? Be patient and realize that lasting change will take time.

Lack of Emotion

Lois had laid out the plan. Her logic was impeccable. She had been meticulous in explaining the reasons for the change and the steps that would be taken. She described what the organization would look like when the change was complete. She has answered every question patiently and completely. And she was surprised that the change effort was falling flat. What had she done wrong? Everything she did was fine, just incomplete.

Incomplete, because Lois focused on getting people to understand the change, and this isn’t the same as accepting the change. Acceptance requires more than just the facts and figures.

Want successful change? Remember that people need more than the facts. They need to understand the change emotionally and intuitively in order to accept and embrace the change – and you want acceptance, not understanding.

Lack of Knowledge

Mike knew he had to make a change in his organization. But he had lived through so many unsuccessful change efforts that he didn’t know if it was possible to really create meaningful change. He was committed to the change, believed in it, but didn’t know how to make it happen. He didn’t even know where to start.

Want successful change? Learn what you need to do to succeed!

In Closing

The five reasons why leaders fail to create successful change:

• They aren’t committed

• They stop communicating too soon

• They aren’t patient

• They don’t present an emotional case for change

• They don’t know how

Which reasons are getting in your way?

Kevin Eikenberry is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on “Unleashing Your Potential” go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

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minutes to a meeting : Make Time, Not Excuses

There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in on an ongoing basis. These are Prospecting (45% of time), Presenting (20%), Product Knowledge/Malleability (20%), and Professional and Personal Development (15%)

Recently we were presenting this information in a workshop on Prospect Management, when one of the participants raised his hand and said: “That’s great. But you just don’t understand. We spend so much of our time having to service our existing clients and putting out fires, there’s no way to have that much time for prospecting and all this other stuff.”

Sound like something you face?

We understand, because we’re out there selling too. Just like you, we go out and find new prospects, show them how we can help them, deal with client service, make sure training materials show up where they’re supposed to be, etc… And, we spend a good deal of time consulting, conducting workshops, and working with clients.

Like most sales professionals, we, too, have to juggle my time to focus on actually selling and prospecting.

The key is effective time planning.

Time planning is really more than time management. You really can’t manage time at all when you think about it – no matter what we do time marches on. No matter what we do there are 52 weeks in a year, 24 hours in day, and 60 minutes in an hour. Try as we might, we just ain’t gonna change that. So, let’s not bemoan that we don’t have enough time – the time you spend complaining about not having enough time is time you could spend on something more productive and rewarding. (Ever notice that the people who complain the most about not having enough time are usually the ones getting the least amount done? Think about it and observe.)

So, we can’t control time itself, but what we can control is how we use our time. In fact, when you come right down to it, our use of own time is the ONLY thing in life that we really have complete control over. Every minute of every day you are making a choice, whether consciously or not, over how you use your time. The key to effective time planning is to make conscious decisions over how you spend this most valuable resource.

Here are some tips to help you plan and utilize your time more effectively:

Be obsessive about planning:

Everybody these days uses some sort of planner whether electronic or paper; that’s a personal choice and either one is fine. But, real effective planning is more than making a daily to-do list.

Plan Weekly: Look at everything you have going on for the next two weeks. First appointments, follow-up meetings, presentations, internal meetings etc… In addition to actual meetings, you need to schedule in time for:

- meeting preparation
- travel time to and from meetings
- administrative and paperwork

Schedule these things into your calendar so you know exactly when you are going to do them!

Next, schedule in time – make a firm appointment with yourself – for prospecting activities. When will you make calls? I can guarantee that if you don’t make a firm appointment with yourself, those calls won’t happen.

Taking this weekly view is vital to effective time planning; many things that we do can’t get done in one day, but if know what we want and need to accomplish in the broader space of a week, we’re more likely to be productive with our time.

Plan Daily: Look ahead to the next day. What urgent things will you need to attend to? When will you do them? What things did you not get done today that you need to do tomorrow? Do this each day at the end of the day so you can start your next day fresh with the knowledge of exactly what you’re setting out to do.

TIP: Don’t overpack your time too much. You do need to allow for the unexpected. You also need to constantly reevaluate your time in the face of changing priorities. Give yourself the cushion for this.

Analyze Regularly: Keep track of how you spend your time, and analyze its level of productivity; look at whether each activity is moving you closer to your goals or is not. Try doing this for a period of two weeks; you’ll be amazed to realize how much time we spend on non-productive things. Just the sheer act of tracking this will make you more productive, guaranteed.

Apply “Zero-Based Thinking”: Author and speaker Brian Tracy, in his book “Focal Point” talks about applying “Zero-Based Thinking” as a way to form your goals and mission. It applies at this level as well. As you get a sense of where you’re time is currently spent, ask yourself these questions:

- What things do I need to start doing?
- What am I currently doing that I need to do more of?
- What am I currently doing that I need to stop doing?

What things can you delegate? What things could you stop doing that aren’t really necessary? (Think hard on this one; there are certainly things we all do that don’t really need to be done at all.)

Take time for reflection and planning: “But wait”, you say! “I don’t have time to do stuff now, how can I take all this time for planning. Sounds nice in an ideal world, but I have to live in reality!” Taking the time for planning and thinking will actually make you more productive. You will be in more control of your time, and you will be focused on the activities that will yield you the best results. 15 minutes a day is all you’ll really need. And those 15 minute could well be the most important time you spend!

To help you, here some great tools you can download:

Daily Time Tracking Worksheet

Weekly Planning Worksheet

Mark Dembo and Thomas J. Baskind are Managing Partners in DEI/Lexien of Greater New York, a sales performance improvement and management consulting company. They invite you to visit their website, http://www.lexien.com/, and welcome your comments and inquiries.

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minutes to a meeting : How A Facilitator Helps Your Hold Effective Meetings

A facilitator adds value to your meeting by preparing the agenda, conducting the meeting, and writing minutes. All of these services free you to work on other tasks while getting the job done properly.

A professional facilitator will help you save money by holding a shorter meeting. The most expensive part of a meeting is the labor cost of the participants. Estimate this cost for your last meeting by multiplying the duration of the meeting by the number of participants by their payroll cost. (I've seen groups waste over $50,000 on a single bad meeting.)

A facilitator will help you get real results. For example, years ago, a group held three full-day meetings trying to resolve a difficult issue. Each of these meetings broke down after hours of painful arguing, bickering, and complaining. Then they hired me. My meeting lasted five hours and produced a list of realistic solutions, ranked in priority of their applicability.

A facilitator does more than watch people talk. A skilled facilitator knows how to apply creative thinking, problem solving, and decision making tools within a meeting. These help the group make methodical progress toward agreements, decisions, and solutions. And they produce results that everyone will support.

A skilled facilitator is an expert on business. Thus, a facilitator knows how to take your group through the steps that produce a realistic plan that accomplishes your business goals.

A facilitator frees you to participate in your meeting. It is impossible to facilitate and participate in a meeting because facilitation is a full time job.

Steve Kaye helps leaders hold effective meetings. He is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator, author, and speaker. His meeting facilitation and leadership workshops create success for everyone. Call 714-528-1300 for details. Visit http://www.stevekaye.com for a free report.

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minutes to a meeting : Tips for Better Meetings

1) Ask everyone to arrive five to ten minutes early. This gives everyone time to socialize, obtain coffee, or organize materials before the meeting. It also ensures that everyone is present at the scheduled starting time. Make this part of the agenda.

2) Discuss sensitive issues with the key participants before the meeting. Use this as an opportunity to listen and gather information on the issues. From this you will understand the different views, needs, and histories. This information can help you prepare the agenda and conduct the meeting. In addition, you may be able to facilitate solutions or strategies for solutions before the meeting. In either case, the result will be a more efficient meeting.

3) Plan small meetings that focus on a single issue. People work more effectively over short periods of time (such as 45 minutes). This also allows you to match experts with issues for more productive meetings.

4) Send copies of the minutes to everyone who could have been invited for informational purposes. They can read the minutes in a small fraction of the time that they would have been spent in the meeting.

5) If the chairperson seems to have allowed the meeting’s intent to drift, ask: “What do you want to achieve?” or “How can we help you?” or “How will we know when we are done working on this?” These questions can help focus the meeting on a goal.

6) If a meeting seems out of control, suggest adjourning and reconvening at a later time. This will allow you to clarify goals, prepare strategies, and better understand the issues.

7) Summarize the content of key points. This ensures that everyone has the same understanding of the key point. Although this is one of the chairperson’s responsibilities, it can be filled by anyone else in the meeting.

8) Prepare a list of questions, ideas, suggestions before the meeting. Then you can focus your attention on the discussion in the meeting.

9) Watch the listeners instead of the speaker. Their faces and body language will tell you whether they agree or disagree, which can help guide you participation in the discussion.

10) Work with a sense of appropriate urgency. Life is finite, and the work in meetings should be the same. Plan a time budget and then use it to guide your meeting. Spend extra time only when an issue warrants it.

Steve Kaye helps leaders hold effective meetings. He is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator, author, and speaker. His meeting facilitation and leadership workshops create success for everyone. Call 714-528-1300 for details. Visit http://www.stevekaye.com for a free report.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Note Taking

Lecture note-taking influences the academic success of all high school and college students (Stahl, King, & Henk, 1991). As Spires and Stone (1989) point out, students will "increasingly have to depend on their ability to take notes in order to be successful in the classroom."

Ornstein (1994) believes that all students would benefit if teachers deliberately trained their students in note-taking techniques, especially the lower-achieving students. Bakunas and Holley (2001) suggest that note-taking skills should be taught to students in the same manner that they are taught writing or computer skills.

Studies about the effect of note-taking on achievement recognize that there are two distinct categories of note-taking (Meyer, 2001). The first category suggests that the notes themselves are valuable because 1) help the learner rehearse the lecture content and (2) can serve as a memory device that can help the student to remember parts of the content that were not included in the notes themselves.

The second category suggests that the act of taking notes is important because it 1) increases attention and concentration, 2) encourages students to process the material at a deeper level, and 3) provides a means of connecting new learning with prior knowledge (Carrier & Titus, 1981). These two categories imply that note-taking can boost achievement by acting as a product (the first category) or as a process (the second category). In this project we will investigate the impact of increased writing speed and written output on both the product of note-taking as well as the process of note-taking to enhance scholastic achievement.

Some experimental studies on student achievement have been inconclusive regarding the benefits of note-taking training. However, these studies have had serious methodological weaknesses and have not consistently involved meaningful training sessions that incorporate practice and evaluation of the note-taking skills (Boon, 1989). For example, a study by Bretzing et al (1987) involved 15 minute training sessions before the testing and provided only general note-taking tips. Another study by Peck and Hannafin (1983) showed students a videotape how to take notes more efficiently. A study by Meyer (2001) allocated one class unit for note-taking training. Research on the effects of pre-training on note-taking and information recall found that training in note-taking must involve long-term, systematic instruction and continuous practice (Dunkel,1985).

Bretzing, Kulhavy and Caterino (1987) and Peck and Hannafin (1983) conducted similar research to gain insight into this issue. In all of these studies, one or more experimental groups received special note-taking training, while one or more groups received no formal training. The results of Peck and Hannafin's study found that the uninstructed note takers actually performed better on all three tests. Peck and Hannafin suggested that the results were a product of an "interference effect" in which the process of note-taking itself interfered with the retention of information.

In our view the "interference effect" was a result of insufficient training as opposed to what Peck and Hannafin believed a negative impact of note-taking on learning. Students were inadequately trained in the product which caused an adverse effect on the note-taking process.

In addition, an evaluation of over 340 NSF project directors of 13 possible innovations in undergraduate teaching found cooperative learning was ranked highest. Collaborating on projects students must accurately capture the spoken information and share their notes efficiently with other students in their research groups. The EasyScript methodology can provide a seamless exchange of sharing information to address this issue. Importance of note-taking for students with disabilities

Boyle and Weishaar (2001) in their study of high school students with disabilities concluded that improved note-taking skills contribute to increasing students' comprehension, short-term and long-term recall. They extended the academic note-taking training in their study from 15 minutes to two 50 minute sessions. Instructed students scored significantly higher on measures of immediate recall, long-term recall and comprehension, and number of words recorded. It's reasonable to assume that if a speed note-taking is incorporated into academic note-taking and a sufficient practicing and reinforcement is provided, it will increase the number of words recorded which will have a significant impact on comprehension, immediate and long-term recall.

As evidenced by various research studies, students with disabilities are not effective note takers. Students with disabilities do not possess a sufficient writing speed to take down spoken information and, even when they do take notes, are frequently unable to read them after the lecture (Suritsky, 1992), mostly because their notes are illegible. Students with disabilities either avoid taking notes, rely on note takers or teachers to assist them with guided lecture notes after class (Beckley, 1996).

Although these accommodations are helpful, and even necessary, it is important for students with disabilities to learn how to effectively take notes from lectures. Suritsky and Hughes (1996) have found that students with disabilities are passive learners, and note-taking is one way to actively engage them in the learning process.

We believe that students with disabilities will derive an additional benefit from speed note-taking because they record fewer units of lecture information than their non-disabled peers (Hughres & Suritsky, 1996).

Copyright ©2004-2006 Legend Co. All Rights Reserved. Website designed by Aspire Media

minutes to a meeting : 21 Tips for Meeting and Event Success

Warm sunshine, sandy beaches, golf galore are maybe some reasons for having a meeting, but when a company is planning and executing an event or meeting, the number one thing that should be on their minds is . . . Why are we getting together?
Even if you’ve matched your budget to the venue; without knowing the goal you intend to achieve at a program, you’ll have wasted your efforts, money, and the valuable time of your client or colleagues. Whether an incentive program, monthly meeting, board meeting, staff event, conference or trade show — in a world where corporate expenses are increasingly scrutinized — it all boils down to Return on Investment (ROI).

How do you maximize your ROI?
First, take a poll from prospective attendees prior to establishing the venue and program. Ask: What are your expectations? What do you want to see happen while you are there? Have subcommittees assist in creating a brief, but substantive, planning survey to disperse to that target audience. To maximize this stage of the process, review the crucial evaluations you requested at the close of your last program.

Address a short one-page document to the attendees that outlines the main points of the program, including an overall perspective and goals of the program. Even if the intent of the program is for socialization and comradery, make this clear.

A key element of ROI is making sure there is enough time for networking, and to allow your guests the opportunity to see the host city. Companies are finding that without an element of mixing and mingling, and opportunities to roam, attendees get frustrated and the success of the meeting could be jeopardized.

Know the value of your business BEFORE you meet with the hotel or facility — how many guests, how many total room nights, how many ballrooms, how many meals and if you have off-site entertainment plans.

ROI can’t always be measured immediately. But, a key toward this goal is to always record a history after each meeting, including an evaluation from the attendees. If there’s not enough time to do so at the event, today’s event planners are taking advantage of Palm Pilot and Blackberry technology to collect immediate feedback while guests are leaving the property or waiting for their flights. Develop a pattern of feedback and utilize your findings to your advantage.

Companies are no longer having meetings just to have them. They are piggy-backing on their existing programs to get more “bang for their buck” — saving money on airfare, hotels and food and beverage.

No matter the size of your company or guest list, when planning a function, you want to provide a cost-effective meeting with value-added information in your seminars and networking events. You also want attendees to walk away feeling that they are refreshed and recharged and have the tools they need to help them succeed in, and out, of their workplace.

Talk the talk, then walk the walk
Meeting and event professionals have their own language. If you do not have a professional meeting and event planner on staff to help you understand contract clauses and negotiation of pricing, and choose not to hire one, your knowledge of the terminology will reduce your risk of unexpected costs or, worse yet, an unsuccessful event. When a hotel or resort sends a contract out to be signed, they will appreciate your basic understanding of key terminology and you will likely have a more successful relationship with your hotel or meeting facility. Several websites for meeting and event planning assistance offer explanations of industry jargon.

Technology Trends:
Once you’ve established your goals and secured a location for your meeting, secure your success by turning your attention toward hot trends in meeting and event hosting:

Intelligent Badges: These extraordinary badges can indicate information about you in bulleted phrases. People can choose to speak with you, or not, based upon the criteria you input to your badge. It simplifies networking, and is increasingly appreciated by attendees. Badges are now being created that zone-in on attendees’ need to “sync” with one another; i.e.: You need 50,000 sq. ft. of office space in Miami, and an attendee has programmed his badge to indicate his Miami property availability. You can also use it to store other helpful information including mapping, golf scores and venue and program details. Look for this hot technology to be on the rise in the coming months ahead.

Wireless Technology (Wi-Fi): With the ongoing demand for quick retreival of critical information, most resorts and hotels are going mainstream to offer wi-fi on their properties. If they don’t have it, they probably will in the near future. Nearby coffeehouses are also offering this free service to their customers. You’ll make extra points if you list them in your registration packets.

Food Trends:
Large lunches and lavish dinners are giving way to the trend of small mini-meals throughout your program. Having small platters available throughout the day might be more beneficial to your event as frequent breaks keep guests interested and refreshed. And, stay away from high-carbohydrate break food. It can put your guests to sleep in minutes.

For golf outings, the hot dog and hamburger is still a staple. Here, the old standbys aren’t being taken over by “low-carb,” “South Beach” or other trendy diet crazes. Golfers still look forward to their steak dinners and hefty award banquets — even if salmon and chicken on the grill are slowly coming into play.

Off the course, low-carbohydrate menus are a big hit at meetings and events. Substituting mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes is gaining in popularity. BUT, keep the bread out for those who still desire their starch with meals.

When selecting the popular martini or vodka and rum drinks for your event — mango, pomegranate, papaya and other exotic juices are quickly taking the place of cranberry and orange juice mixers.

The trend is for fresh exotic fruit to be served alone, as a dessert or paired with a small cake or ganache. Trendy meeting planners are also moving dessert and coffee stations outside at sunset to get out of the ballroom. “Family style” dessert platters, vs. individual desserts, is the haute couture of food fashion. This also keeps your costs down, while allowing guests to pick and choose the dessert they desire.

Another growing trend is to have coffee stations with customized coffees available, as well as liqueurs. This promotes guest networking after lunch or dinner — the number-one personal reason for attending any meeting.

To secure food venue success, ask for a taste test at the site where you are having your meeting. Most hotels are happy to provide this service.

Invitations:
More budget is going into sprucing up the invitation then ever before. This is the FIRST thing people see, and will generate interest whether they are planning to attend, or still may be persuaded to do so. Email, with glitzy graphics and a “pop-up” invitation are popular. If you use traditional mail, stay away from little confetti pieces. No executive appreciates them in their PC keyboard.

Help!
If you don’t have the time, are not at all accustomed to event planning, or do not have the resources to plan and execute a function, consider hiring an expert planner or consultant. Look for years of experience, credibility and the compatibility of programs executed.

Words to the Wise:
During holiday seasons, make sure your competition hasn’t already planned an event on your day. You should also ask your facility catering manager what companies are holding their events on the same days or nights. Or, you may lose your attendees to the ballroom next door! Be very careful to secure any confidential handouts...particularly during breaks. Your competitors may be more clever than you think.

Treat your hotel staff and contacts as you would people in your own workplace — with respect and courtesy. Remember, they are partnering with you to provide the best possible service to your guests. They can be a tremendous resource for mitigating the “faux pas” you might miss.

Know your budget and what you can and cannot do. And, be flexible. Optional dates can allow your hotel or facility to serve you better.

Roadside construction and other obstacles might prohibit your guests from getting to the location where your meeting is being held. Make sure to ask the property about this as well as inquiring about citywide events that may inconvenience your guests.

(Todd Schwartz is a certified meeting plannner (CMP) and president and founder of The Professional Planner Group; a full-service, meeting, event and conference management company. To learn more on how to "Unleash Your Meeting's Potential . . ." go to www.professionalplannergroup.com or write to Todd@ProfessionalPlannerGroup.com for more information.

Professional Planner Group LLC© 2005

minutes to a meeting : What to Ask When You're Invited to a Meeting

He re a re five questions that you must ask befo re agreeing to attend a meeting.

1) Whe re is the agenda? A meeting without an agenda is like a journey without a map; it will always waste your time. Once you have the agenda, make su re that it consists of mo re than a list of words because this is almost useless. The agenda for an effective meeting will provide a complete description of how the meeting will proceed.

2) what is the goal? Is the chair seeking an agreement, a solution, or a plan? Knowing the goal gives you head start on participating effectively. Be cautious of meetings that a re held just "to talk about something," because this type of meeting seldom accomplishes anything.

3) what is my role? Make su re that your participation adds value to the meeting. Avoid meetings whe re you have a superficial role, such as to find out what's happening. In that case, ask for the minutes. If you' re needed to work on only part of the agenda, ask if you can attend only that part of the meeting.

4) How should I prepare? Make su re that you know about any research, readings, or surveys required to participate. ask about the expectations for the other participants because this could influence your preparation. Attend only if you can prepa re adequately or suggest another time for the meeting.

5) what should I bring? Should you bring a laptop? Will you be asked to give a presentation? Should you bring reports, data, or other information? Make su re that you have enough time to obtain the tools and materials needed for effective participation.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Ten Strategies For Getting Off To A Good Start

A day in the life of every businessperson is made up of a series of meetings and greetings. Whether you are making the initial contact with a client or a colleague, you want to get off on the right foot. Doing so will make the first encounter and subsequent ones go smoothly and easily. Getting off on the wrong foot can make for a difficult recovery. Save your energy for later and use these simple strategies for a successful start.



Stand up when you meet someone. This allows you to engage the person on an equal level - eye to eye. By remaining seated, you send a message that you don't think the other person is important enough to warrant the effort it takes to stand. If you find yourself in a position where you can't stand up (such as being trapped behind a potted plant) offer an apology and an explanation. You might say something like, "Please excuse me for not getting up. I can't seem to get around the foliage."


Smile. Your facial expression says more than your words. Look as if you are pleased to meet the other person regardless of what is on your mind. Put a smile on your face for the person standing before you.


Make eye contact. Looking at the people you meet says you are focused and interested in them. If you are staring off somewhere else, you may appear to be looking for someone more to your liking to come along.


Introduce yourself immediately. As soon as you approach people you don't know or are approached by them, say who you are. Don't stand around as if someone else is in charge of introductions.


Include a statement about who you are when necessary. It is not always enough to say, "Hello, I'm Mary Jones." Give more information. "Hello, I'm Mary Jones. I work for XYZ Corporation."


Offer a firm handshake. Extend your hand as you give your greeting. The person who puts a hand out first comes across as confident and at ease. Make sure that this physical part of your greeting is professional. Don't offer bone-crushing grips or wimpy limp-wristed shakes. If you are confused about men and women shaking hands, don't be. There once was a time when women didn't shake hands with men. We are past that. Everyone in business shakes hands with everyone else.


Learn how to make smooth introductions. In business you always introduce less important people to more important people. The way to do this is to say the name of the more important person first, followed by the words "I'd like to introduce..." and then give the other person's name. Be sure to add something about each person so they will know why they are being introduced and will have some information with which to start a conversation.


Know who the more important person is. The client or the business prospect is more important than your boss. Just hope your boss agrees.


Pay attention to names when you meet people. It is all too common to be thinking about what you are going to say next and not focus on the other person. If you concentrate and repeat the name as soon as you hear it, you stand a better chance of remembering it later.


Use first names of people whom you have just met only after they give you permission. Not everyone wants to be addressed informally on the initial encounter. It is better to err on the side of formality than to offend the other person right off the bat.


Your goal within the first few minutes of meeting other people is to make them feel comfortable and to put them ease so they will want to do business with you. When you are confident of the rules for those critical initial encounters, you will have a solid start for long-term profitable relationships.


(c) 2004, lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved.

minutes to a meeting : Five Radical Uses for a Meeting

Meetings also provide opportunities to learn a lot about the people who attend them. Here's what to look for.

1) Determine a person's ability to plan. Does the person who called the meeting have a clear goal and a specific plan to achieve it. People who do, recognize the value of preparation and can be trusted with larger projects.

2) Measure teamwork. How are the participants working together? Are they making methodical progress toward an agreement, decision, or solution? Are the more skilled participants helping the others? Is the group working toward a result that benefits everyone? People who work as a team contribute more to productivity.

3) Demonstrate communication. How well do the participants state their ideas? Do they speak clearly? And do they pay attention when others speak? People who communicate well avoid problems such as misunderstandings and arguments.

4) Determine how people think. Are the participants offering ideas that logically follow what the last person said? How innovative, practical, or useful are the ideas? Are people focused on details or major projects? Are they focused on what happened or upon what happens next? Certainly people think differently, and this helps you observe their strengths.

5) Observe ethics. What are the participants proposing? What values are revealed by their suggestions? What type of actions do they admire? What do they support and what do they oppose? How much respect do the participants show for each other? Good ethics keep a business on the right side of good.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : 3 Lessons for Leaders

Here are three lessons about meetings that came from a walk through the forest.

1) Giant Sequoias

These marvelous trees are a living example that some things take time.

True, we need to work with a sense of urgency. We need to do more with less. We need to move faster than the speed of chaos.

And we also need to be appropriate.

Rushing through some issues can produce false solutions.

For example, a group slams together an annual plan, only to find that the plan ignores real market conditions, organizational limitations, and individual support. The result is a document that no one uses.

For example, a powerful group makes a decision without listening to other people's ideas. And then a bad situation becomes worse. In fact, sometimes the neglected side retaliates with such force that the original group loses status.

Better: Take time to make sure that all considerations are included in plans and decisions. If you are planning a meeting to resolve a major issues, hire a skilled facilitator to help you obtain a result that lasts.

2) A Bear Cub

This cub behaved like a goofy toddler while mama bear went about her business collecting groceries in a supermarket. The cub climbed on logs, fell off rocks, and dropped things on mama. And during all of this play, mama bear just kept working, munching plants, gathering nourishment.

That is, she kept eating until the cub ran toward me. Then mama bear looked up, growled, and chased after the cub. (I'll assume that's what she did, because I ran away when Mama Bear growled.)

What's the point?

Sometimes we need to allow an appropriate amount of disorder because it's part of growth. It's part of letting people explore. It's part of letting people be themselves. Of course, when threats appear, then we should take charge. And we may only need to growl to restore order.

3) Mustang Clover

In the spring, the Sierra Nevada mountains are covered with patches of Mustang Clover. These small flowers (typically, less than half an inch across) look like simple small pink dots as you walk past them. But if you pause and look closely, you will discover a masterpiece of complex beauty.

The point: Are you pausing to notice important details? Some may be merely enjoyable reminders of how wonderful life can be. Others may be essential indicators about the health of your business.

BY: Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Monsters in Meetings

While dominant participants contribute significantly to the success of a meeting, they can also overwhelm, intimidate, and exclude others. Thus, you want to control their energy without losing their support.

Approach 1: Ask others to contribute

Asking quiet participants to contribute indirectly moderates the more dominant participants. Say:

"Before we continue, I want to hear from the rest of the group."

"This is great. And I wonder what else we could do." (Look at the quiet participants when you say this.)

Approach 2: Change the process

A balanced dialogue equalizes participation and sequential participation (a round robin) prevents anyone from dominating the discussion.

Approach 3: Include them in the process

Ask dominant participants for their support during the meeting. Meet with the person privately and say:

"I need your help with something. It's clear to me that you know a great deal about this issue and have many good ideas. I also want to hear what other people in the meeting have to say. So, I wonder if you could hold back a little, to let others contribute."

You can also retain control by giving away minor tasks. For example, dominant participants make excellent helpers. They can distribute materials, run errands, serve as scribes, deliver messages, post chart papers, run demonstration units, operate projectors, change overhead transparencies, act as greeters, and in general perform any logistical task related to the meeting.

Approach 4: Create barriers

Simply move away from the more aggressive participants and make less eye contact. If you are unable to see them, you are unable to recognize them as the next speaker.

Use this approach with moderation and support it with complimentary requests for assistance. Ignoring someone conveys disapproval, which could change a potential ally into an adversary.

Approach 5: One point at a time

Sometimes dominant participants will control a discussion by listing many points in a single statement. They cite every challenge, condition, and consideration known, which completely clogs everyone else's thinking. End this by asking participants to state only one point at a time, after which someone else speaks. It is very difficult to monopolize a discussion when this technique prevails.

Quiet participants often hope to be ignored; dominant participants want to be noticed. A quiet person may feel overbearing after making two statements in an hour. A dominant participant may feel left out after contributing only 95% of the ideas. You will be most successful moderating dominant participants by building bridges between what they want and what you need.

Approach 6: Interrupt with "excuse me"

Use the words "excuse me" as a wedge to interrupt a long monologue. It's important that you say "Excuse me" with polite sincerity. For example, you could say:

"Excuse me, this seems interesting and I wonder if you could tell me how it relates to our meeting."

"Excuse me, I'm sure this is very important and since we have only five minutes left for this issue, I wonder if you could summarize your main point."

Use these techniques to hold effective meetings by moderating contributions from the more outspoken participants.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : 5 Things You Must Know About a Meeting

What if someone asks to borrow your checkbook? And then the person says, "By the way, could you sign the checks before handing it over?"

Absurd, right?

And yet, people freely sign over huge chunks of their lives by agreeing to attend pointless meetings.

Here are five things to ask about before agreeing to attend.

1) Goals

What are the goals for the meeting? Why are you holding this meeting? What do you want to have when you finish?

If you receive a vague answer, such as, "to discuss business" or "just to talk about something," be warned that this meeting lacks direction.

2) Plan

What is your agenda? How do you plan to accomplish these goals? What will we do during the meeting?

You want to know the plan for the meeting before you agree to attend. A meeting without an agenda is like a journey without a map.

Note that a meeting without a clear goal or a complete agenda will always waste your time.

3) Me

What is my role in the meeting? Why are you asking me to attend? What do you expect of me during the meeting.

You want to attend only those meetings where you have an impact. Otherwise, ask for a copy of the minutes.

4) Them

Who else is coming to the meeting? Why have you asked them to attend? How well do they support your goals for the meeting?

This tells you how to prepare and what to expect. Otherwise, you could find yourself being invited to an ambush.

5) Logistics

How should I prepare? What should I bring? What else do I need to know about this meeting (e.g., where is it being held)?

Attending a meeting without sufficient preparation will make you appear incompetent. If the time required to prepare exceeds what you can afford, suggest alternatives such as rescheduling the meeting.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Five Radical Uses for a Meeting

Meetings also provide opportunities to learn a lot about the people who attend them. Here's what to look for.

1) Determine a person's ability to plan. Does the person who called the meeting have a clear goal and a specific plan to achieve it. People who do, recognize the value of preparation and can be trusted with larger projects.

2) Measure teamwork. How are the participants working together? Are they making methodical progress toward an agreement, decision, or solution? Are the more skilled participants helping the others? Is the group working toward a result that benefits everyone? People who work as a team contribute more to productivity.

3) Demonstrate communication. How well do the participants state their ideas? Do they speak clearly? And do they pay attention when others speak? People who communicate well avoid problems such as misunderstandings and arguments.

4) Determine how people think. Are the participants offering ideas that logically follow what the last person said? How innovative, practical, or useful are the ideas? Are people focused on details or major projects? Are they focused on what happened or upon what happens next? Certainly people think differently, and this helps you observe their strengths.

5) Observe ethics. What are the participants proposing? What values are revealed by their suggestions? What type of actions do they admire? What do they support and what do they oppose? How much respect do the participants show for each other? Good ethics keep a business on the right side of good.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Five Radical Uses for a Meeting

Meetings also provide opportunities to learn a lot about the people who attend them. Here's what to look for.

1) Determine a person's ability to plan. Does the person who called the meeting have a clear goal and a specific plan to achieve it. People who do, recognize the value of preparation and can be trusted with larger projects.

2) Measure teamwork. How are the participants working together? Are they making methodical progress toward an agreement, decision, or solution? Are the more skilled participants helping the others? Is the group working toward a result that benefits everyone? People who work as a team contribute more to productivity.

3) Demonstrate communication. How well do the participants state their ideas? Do they speak clearly? And do they pay attention when others speak? People who communicate well avoid problems such as misunderstandings and arguments.

4) Determine how people think. Are the participants offering ideas that logically follow what the last person said? How innovative, practical, or useful are the ideas? Are people focused on details or major projects? Are they focused on what happened or upon what happens next? Certainly people think differently, and this helps you observe their strengths.

5) Observe ethics. What are the participants proposing? What values are revealed by their suggestions? What type of actions do they admire? What do they support and what do they oppose? How much respect do the participants show for each other? Good ethics keep a business on the right side of good.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Another Use for Meetings

Every meeting is a laboratory where you can observe and learn important things about the people who attend. In fact, you can use meetings to identify people who merit being promoted into leadership positions. Watch for:

Is it planned?
Effective leaders always begin with clearly defined goals and then prepare plans for achieving them. They have the courage to set a direction and then make changes as new information becomes available. They communicate with candor knowing that people perform at their best when they know what is expected. Thus, did the person who called this meeting prepare an agenda? Was the agenda distributed before the meeting? Did the agenda tell you everything that you needed to know to work effectively in the meeting? If so, this serves as a positive indication of effective leadership planning.

Is it efficient?
A meeting is the culminating step in a larger process. It begins by setting goals and preparing an agenda. Then the chairperson should have contacted key participants to inform them of their roles in the meeting, told everyone how to prepare for the meeting, and alerted people who may be asked to accept responsibility for action items. All of this work before the meeting assures that the meeting will progress smoothly, efficiently, and effectively. So, how is the meeting going? Is there evidence of this attention to detail?

Is it logical?
Pay attention to what people say during a meeting. Do their ideas contribute toward achieving the goals? if so, this shows that they're working as part of a team to help find solutions. Do their ideas build upon what others just said? If so, this shows that they're paying attention to the dialogue. Do their ideas demonstrate originality, creativity, and knowledge? If so, this shows they're working hard to add value. Effective leaders possess strong analytical thinking skills.

Is it helpful?
Evaluate the comments and behavior during a meeting. Are the participants working to support each other? Are people contributing to the safe environment that is essential for open creative thinking? Are people adding high-value contributions (instead of stories or jokes that distract everyone)? Note that chronic unproductive behavior betrays either fear, a lack of effective work skills, or misunderstood expectations. People who perform poorly in meetings may need constructive coaching.

Is it controlled?
Leadership involves more than watching people talk. Thus, observe the dynamics of the meeting process. Is the chairperson leading everybody through methodical steps that take them to a result? Is the meeting being conducted in such a way that the participants feel that it is a fair process? Is the chairperson helping others perform at their best so that the group can produce an outstanding result?

Someone who excels in the above areas should be considered for leadership positions. This explains why most executives consider a person's ability to lead meetings when selecting future leaders.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : Protect Your Boss From Bad Meetings

Most bosses spend most of their time in meetings. This happens because executives respond to problems by calling meetings to fix them. And when the meetings fail to produce results, they call more meetings. In some companies, people have even called meetings to figure out why their meetings didn't work.

Rather than watch your boss trudge off to an endless schedule of meetings, here are things you can do to protect your boss's valuable time.

1) When someone calls to schedule a meeting for your boss, ask for the agenda. If there is no agenda, check if your boss wants to attend. Lack of an agenda is the number one cause of bad meetings. Ideally, your boss would insist on having an agenda because time is money. For example, I doubt that your boss signs blank checks.

If the caller replies that your boss will receive an agenda at the meeting, state that your boss wants to see the agenda at least a day before the meeting. This gives your boss time to prepare and avoids being ambushed by surprises.

2) Ask "What are the goals for this meeting?" or "What results do you want to have by the end of the meeting?" A meeting without goals will lack direction, which can be as deadly as no agenda.

3) Ask "What is my boss's role in the meeting?" or "Why do you want my boss to attend?" Many junior employees invite executives to their meetings because it makes them seem important. They also use this as an opportunity to delegate work upwards, show off, and ask their boss to make decisions. Vague replies (such as, "Oh, we just want hear what your boss has to say") suggest lazy planning.

If your boss is being invited to "find out what everyone is doing" check if your boss would prefer to receive a copy of the minutes instead. It takes much less time to read minutes than attend a meeting.

If your boss has an important role in a minor part of a meeting, ask if your boss can attend only that part of the meeting. Suggest that they schedule your boss' participation at the beginning so your boss can be on time for this part and then leave after contributing.

4) Ask "How should my boss prepare for the meeting?" This helps your boss do well and avoids being surprised. If the preparation requires extensive work, check with your boss if the schedule makes sense. Also, check if others will be prepared. Unprepared participants always waste time. If necessary, revise the scope of the meeting or schedule it for a later date to allow adequate preparation.

5) Ask "What should my boss bring?" You want to make sure that your boss has whatever is needed for effective participation. You also want to know what is needed because you may have to help obtain it. If the resources are unavailable, suggest alternatives.

6) Ask who else will be there. This will help your boss anticipate what might happen. And in some cases you may find it useful to call some of the other participants to survey their expectations, concerns, and support for the issues on the agenda.

7) Finally, make sure that you collect details such as the starting time, duration, and location. Obtain a map and directions when needed.

As an administrative assistant you work as an important partner with your boss. Thus, you may want to share this article and use it as the basis for how you can work together, making sure that your boss attends the right meetings for the right reasons with the right preparation.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : How to Hold Effective Staff Meetings

Many people believe that they conduct effective meetings, when all they really do is host a party filled with official sounding chit chat. Or worse, they deliver a monologue that bores everyone. In either case, their meetings produce little.

Here's how to hold an effective staff meeting.

1) In general. Keep them short. Most staff meetings should last less than an hour. You want your staff to spend their time working on things that earn money for your business, not sitting in meetings. Keep them positive. Negative meetings contain insults, ridicule, and attacks. These activities create caution and resentment, which always costs your company money. Keep them interactive. Your staff consists of intelligent people. Put them to work in your meetings to advance the effectiveness of your organization.

2) Share news. Give the members of your group one minute to report on progress made in their area of responsibility. You'll find that this results in bullet point reports of essential information. It also prevents people from philosophizing, explaining, justifying, criticizing, and engaging in other unproductive activities. Plan a time budget: 8 to 10 minutes.

3) Teach something. Invite a guest expert to give a 10 minute presentation on some skill or technology that benefits your group. Tell the expert that you want a logical explanation of practical ideas. You can also ask members of your group to take turns delivering brief tutorials on topics that benefit the others. Plan a time budget: 10 to 15 minutes.

4) Practice skills. Create team learning activities that sharpen or teach skills needed in your business. For example, you could role play job skills (especially useful for sales teams), solve puzzles (useful for high tech groups), or take quizzes (useful for everyone). Ask group members to take turns bringing an activity that reviews or teaches a valuable skill. Follow this activity with a brief recap of key ideas. Then ask the group members to give a fifteen second report on how these ideas can be applied to improve their work. Plan a time budget: 10 to 20 minutes.

5) Solve problems. Give each group member a minute to describe a challenge that hinders work on a current project and then let everyone propose solutions. Suggestions should be brief and free of self aggrandizing explanations or motivational sermons. This process also requires a positive, supportive environment to succeed. If this is used to ridicule, insult, or criticize the individual, then people will be reluctant to reveal issues that need attention. Plan a time budget: 3 to 6 minutes per person.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : 7 Myths That Make Meetings Miserable

You can hold effective meetings and become a more successful leader if you avoid these seven monsters. Here's how.

Myth 1: Executives belong in meetings.
Although the demands of business cause executives to attend more meetings than other professionals, executives need to avoid meetings. Top management is responsible for vision, strategy, plans, and communication. That means executives should spend most of their time thinking, learning, planning, and communicating. Inefficient, ineffective meetings waste the time of the company's most valuable employees.

Better: Ask probing questions when invited to make sure that your presence will add value. For example, "What are your goals for the meeting?" "How will I contribute to achieving those goals?" and "How can I prepare for the meeting?" After all, you want to contribute to an effective meeting if you decide to attend.

Myth 2: Holding a large meeting is impressive.
Actually, holding a large meeting is expensive. It can also be impressive if it is conducted properly, which means that it will be as small a possible.

Better: Invite only those who can make meaningful contributions. The likelihood of holding an effective meeting diminishes with groups larger than ten or twelve.

Myth 3: Structure inhibits spontaneity.
This is true if your goal is to obtain random outcomes over infinite time. While this may occasionally produce spectacular results, such as winning a lottery, you can achieve predictable results faster by applying structured activities. These help people make methodical progress toward results. Otherwise, the group is attending a party, instead of working in a meeting.

Better: Use structured activities to keep you in control of your meeting and make progress toward results.

Myth 4: People are too busy to prepare agendas.
Since there is always time to repeat a task, fix a problem, or make an apology, there must be time to take the steps that avoid such dilemmas. Overall, preparing an agenda saves time and money.

Better: Prepare an agenda or, if you are too busy, ask someone to do it for you. Then send the agenda to the participants so that they can prepare for the meeting.

Myth 5: Minutes are unnecessary.
This is true for any meeting where people wasted time producing nothing. Effective meetings produce results that are worth documenting. Minutes serve to track action items, record decisions, and inform others. If you are planning a meeting with no results worth documenting, ask yourself why that meeting is necessary.

Better: Record key ideas, agreements, and action items during the meeting. Then convert these notes into minutes.

Myth 6: Meetings should last a long time.
While this may be true for some meetings, most meetings can be conducted in less than an hour. Long, casual meetings lull people into lethargy. In general, people are able to focus on a task for 30 to 60 minutes. Then their attention fades and they take mental holidays to think about other things.

Better: Plan meetings where you spend time and resources in proportion to the value of the results. That is, an effective meeting should be designed to earn a profit. Also, plan short breaks every 50 minutes.

Myth 7: The effectiveness of meetings is a low priority.
This is true if you seldom hold meetings. Of course, if you have more than two employees, you need meetings to make decisions, reach agreements, and develop solutions. Effective meetings are a critically essential activity in running a business. They harness the combined wisdom of your staff to invent products, increase sales, improve productivity, plan strategies, and create success.

Better: Learn how to plan and conduct meetings that make your business a success.

by Steve Kaye

minutes to a meeting : 5 Hidden Traps in Meetings

If you have sat through a few bad meetings, you must have experienced the following traps. Here they are and how to fix them.

1) People think they are experts.

Many people tell me that they know how to hold a meeting. Actually, all they do is host a party. They invite guests, provide treats, and preside over a conversation. People talk. People eat. And nothing happens. Or, if they somehow manage to reach an agreement, no one implements it.

> What to do: Learn how to lead a real meeting. Schedule a workshop or buy a book. When results really matter, hire a facilitator. Recognize that there are modern tools that help people make methodical progress toward results. These tools are practical and easy to use. Of course, you have to know what they are in order to use them. Call me (714-528-1300) for details.

2) People think they are inspiring.

Many people believe that long-winded announcements impress others. Actually, it's the opposite. A long lecture quickly becomes a boring (and sometimes offensive) harangue. Why? Most employees want an active role in contributing to the business, and thus listening to a speech feels like a waste of time.

> What to do: Design meetings that give the attendees opportunities to contribute. Plan questions that direct thinking toward the results that you want. Use activities that help people make decisions. Distribute announcements in letters, memos, or E-mails. Or, if you must use a meeting, keep announcements brief (less than a few minutes).

3) People think others agree with them.

Many people rely on nods, smiles, and eye contact to measure acceptance. Actually, most employees will do anything to appease a boss. And if the boss seems to be upset, the employees will become even more agreeable. Then, once the meeting ends, the employees will do one of three things: 1) forget the lecture, 2) ignore the message, or 3) sabotage the idea.

> What to do: Conduct meetings by a process that everyone considers to be fair. Use consensus to reach agreements and make decisions. People will accept decisions that they helped make.

4) People think others are clairvoyant.

Many people call meetings without an agenda expecting that everyone will arrive sharing their vision for what needs to be done. Actually, everyone brings their private hopes, fears, and vision to the meeting. Without a clear agenda, the result is something between chitchat and chaos, depending upon the complexity of the issue.

Note: A vague agenda, such as a list of topics, is almost as useless as no agenda.

> What to do: Write out your goal for the meeting. Then prepare an agenda that is so complete someone else could use it to run the meeting without you. Specify each step and provide a time budget. Send the agenda at least a day before the meeting so that the attendees can use it to prepare. Call key participants before the meeting to check if they have questions or want to talk about the agenda.

5) People think meetings are necessary.

Many people respond to every emergency, surprise, or twitch by calling a meeting. Actually, a meeting is a special (and expensive) process. It should be used only to obtain results that require the efforts of a group of people working as a team. A meeting is NOT a universal cure for everything. Meetings held for the wrong reasons, waste everyone's time.

> What to do: Challenge every meeting for its ability to earn a profit for your business. That is, make sure the value of the results is greater than the cost of holding a meeting. If any other activity can accomplish the same result, use that other activity.

by Steve Kaye