Apr 19, 2015
Show
Notes:
Overview of Episode #7. The following topics are
covered:
- Contact Suzie Here
or call 770-578-6976.
- Common meeting frustrations
- The ACTUAL cost of meetings - it might surprise you!
- Six Solutions to make all of your meetings, training sessions
and conference calls better.
- Use these tools right away and you'll save time and money,
eliminate frustration and turn those pesky meeting pet peeves and
problems into well-run effective meetings and training
sessions!
- Full
Show Notes Online, Here.
Topic #1: The Frustrations and the
Cost
Timing on
Recording: @ 2:40 ---
- Comedian Dave Barry said, “If you had to identify, in one
word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never
will achieve, its full potential, that word would be
'meetings.”
- Most common frustrations from
the feedback I received around bad meetings: leader does not
keep control; people dominate, complain or get off track; side bar
conversations; attitude; meetings not needed; nothing accomplished;
looking at their phones.
Timing on
Recording: @ 8:35 ---
- VIDEO: Bad Conference Call Meetings - A
Conference Call in Real Life on YouTube - Very funny, and oh so
true!
- Meeting Cost Calculator - For Example: Average annual Salary
-$50,000; Two, two-hour meetings per week, five people in each.
TOTAL COST: $556 per week; $28,889 per year, NOT including
the cost of benefits. Try it here.
Topic # 2: Six Tools to
Make Bad Meetings Better
Timing on
Recording: @ 11:00
---
- Tool #1: Have an Agenda
It will clarify your thinking and help you
keep everyone on track.
Put the purpose of the meeting at the top
of the Agenda.
Apply time frames and intended outcomes
next to every agenda item.
Send the agenda out in advance to all
attendees.
Use a timer to guide discussions and to
keep the meeting on track.
Timing on
Recording: @ 15:32
---
- Tool #2 - How to Open a Meeting - Use:
I.E.E.I. (Inform, Excite,
Empower and Involve) From:
Michael Wilkinson, CMF CEO & Managing Director, Leadership
Strategies, Inc.
Tells people two things they really
want to know:
1) Why am I here? 2) Why should I care?
DON:T START WITH - the agenda, your
bio, where the bathrooms are, etc.
People need to know the purpose and
why the meeting is beneficial to them
Can be as quick as 2-5
minutes.
Inform - Let the participants know
the purpose of the meeting and the product to be produced. “The
purpose or title (if training) of this meeting is… When we are done
we will have …” (Results to be
produced)
Excite - Explain the benefits of
the meeting and why this meeting should be important to them. –
Answering – what’s in it for me? “What’s great about what we’re
going to do here today is that you will (have, get, know, discover,
learn)…”
Empower- Describe the role they
will play or the authority that has been given to them. Goal
is to make sure they are clear about their role. “You
were handpicked…” OR “Your participation matters in this as
your recommendations will be presented to…” OR “These skills will
help you do X better…”
Involve -Get them involved
immediately through an engagement question that furthers the
meeting purpose. Ask a question related to the meeting
focus. Could be: icebreaker, list outcomes they want or a
quick check-in.
A Fav Book of
Mine:201 Icebreakers : Group
MIxers, Warm-Ups, Energizers, and Playful Activities Paperback
by Edie West
- So when I
start a meeting or training session, the process that I use that
works (as recommended by Michael Wilkinson of Leadership
Strategies) is: IEEI, Agenda, Guidelines/Ground Rules,
Parking Lot and Introductions – if needed.
“A meeting consists of
a group of people who have little to say
- until after the meeting.”
PK
Shaw
Timing on
Recording: @ 24:25
---
- Tool #3 - Ground Rules /
Guidelines
Best
way to address people who get off track, dominate or complain
Can
help get people to share more and get everyone involved
Can
INSTANTLY transform your meetings
POST
THEM and REVIEW THEM at the start of every meeting.
The goal is for the group to become self-regulating – so that they
begin correcting themselves, based upon the ground rules If you
meet regularly in the same room, post the Guidelines
permanently. Add ‘rules’ to your list as needed to help the
group overcome specific dysfunctional behaviors and to improve
buy-in. You can also have the group create their own meeting ground
rules
Here are some of My Favorite Example Ground
Rules. I usually only use 5 to
8. I pick the Guidelines that will most help the team
meetings work, for the team I am with. Bold
items are guidelines I use the
most often:
- Start and end on time
- Be soft on people, hard on
ideas
- Share all relevant information
- Everyone speaks
- No beeps, buzzies,
ringy-dingies
- Have one conversation at a
time
- Meeting work only
- Give benefits first, “What I like about that… Here’s something
that would make it even better…”
- Discuss the 'un-discussable' issues
- Take a stand
- Explain reasoning and intent
- “Ta-Da!”
- Energizer – They Pick - Must Be
Short, Involve Standing Up and Using Your Voice (examples: YMCA,
Chicken dance, Badgers fight song, hokey-pokey.) Anyone can call
and time.
- Use the Parking Lot
Timing on
Recording: @ 33:27
---
- Tool # 4 The Parking Lot
A piece of blank flip chart paper, with the headline "Parking Lot."
It is posted in the room to capture topics that are brought up that
are not directly relevant to the agenda. Use it to capture
action items for follow up.
Use the Parking Lot to “park” information for later in the meeting
or after the meeting. This helps keep the group focused on
the Agenda and ensures that you don't "lose" important follow up
ideas and issues.
Have large post it notes and markers around the room or on the
table - ask person to place a 'headline' (summary) of the topic on
the Parking Lot. At the end of the meeting, review what's in
the Parking Lot and determine how and when the item will be
handled.
Timing on
Recording: @ 35:10
---
- Tool #5 - Use the Meeting Ticker in
Meetings
Make this "Stop the Bleeding" Meeting Ticker visible in every
meeting. Find it Here.
Timing on
Recording: @ 37:00
---
- Tool #6 -
Read: The Secrets to
Masterful Meetings by Micheal
Wilkinson
Do a team Book Club - all read and discuss over lunch
Get: Tips for running meetings, listing and breakout exercises for
getting information, best ways to close, handling
dysfunctional behaviors and disagreement and more!
"Meetings get a bad rap, and deservedly so - most are
disorganized and distracted. But they can be a critical tool for
getting your team on the same page." Justin
Rosenstein
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