7 Myths That Make Meetings MiserableWritten by Steve Kaye
Myth 1: Executives belong in meetings. Although 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 time of 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 meeting?" "How will I contribute to achieving those goals?" and "How can I prepare for 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, 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 steps that avoid such dilemmas. Overall, preparing an agenda saves time and money.
| | Relationship Building - 5 Tips and 5 QuestionsWritten by Martin Haworth
By building great relationships, you will shift baseline way up. So that when you need to manage, it will be so much easier. Think how climbing a mountain from sea level is so much harder than from a camp half-way up.And is isn't hard - it's more about focusing on people, who they are and what interests them. And that's just where you spend your time. About them - not you, not your business. Create partnerships. 5 tips 1. Be natural - by being yourself, you will build relationships with ease. Trust yourself - let yourself go. Be open, share your feelings, but mostly, listen to others. 2. Ask questions - you will find out more about others by listening to what they have to say, so be nosy, ask open questions, find out stuff. Then ask more about what they have been telling you. 3. Show integrity - by ensuring that others can trust you, by following through with promises and being discreet, people will be more open with you and that is doorway to great relationships. Do what you say you will do.
|
