7 Strategies for Handling Last Minute Meetings

Written by Susan Friedmann


Have you ever found yourself having to scramble to organize a meeting atrepparttar last minute? Wouldn’t it be nice that if and when this daunting situation arose, you were well prepared with all necessary information ready at your fingertips? That’s why I’ve developedrepparttar 104202 following seven survival strategies to help you plan forrepparttar 104203 inevitable, because you know as well as I, it’s going to happen ‘someaday.’ Survival Strategy #1. Questionrepparttar 104204 meeting need. Before you jump into automatic pilot to start your last minute meeting organization, challengerepparttar 104205 request. Since deciding to hold a meeting demands serious consideration because ofrepparttar 104206 costs involved, both direct and indirect, double-checkrepparttar 104207 rationale for holdingrepparttar 104208 meeting. Develop a few pertinent questions to ask and find out if a meeting alternative, such as a teleconference would achieverepparttar 104209 same results. Survival Strategy #2. Knowrepparttar 104210 basics. Ifrepparttar 104211 meeting really needs to happen, make sure that you plan forrepparttar 104212 basics: · What isrepparttar 104213 purpose ofrepparttar 104214 meeting? · Where should it take place – on or off-site? · When is it scheduled for – date and time? · What’srepparttar 104215 meeting agenda? · Who needs to be invited? · What refreshments and snacks are needed? · What specific materials and equipment is needed? · What travel and hotel arrangements, if any, are necessary? · What’srepparttar 104216 meeting budget? When it comes to budget, remind your boss that good quality, last minute buying and cheap don’t usually correlate. The reality is that last minute pricing may well come at a premium. Survival Strategy #3. Develop checklists. Checklists should be every meeting planners guardian angel. They’re there to help out in time of trouble and avoid unnecessary panic. Withrepparttar 104217 hundreds of pieces that make uprepparttar 104218 meeting puzzle,repparttar 104219 only way to put them together and keep tabs on allrepparttar 104220 details is with a checklist. Become a checklist fanatic and consider having a checklist for each checklist. Cover all your bases. The more thorough you are,repparttar 104221 greaterrepparttar 104222 probability of success, even atrepparttar 104223 last minute.

Proven Secrets to Keeping Your People

Written by Lorraine Pirihi


Why are people changing jobs so quickly these days? Here are a few reasons why:

They have a boring job therefore they feel they are not achieving anything. They have no leader to follow. They feel unappreciated. They work long hours and want a life. They are not paid what they are worth. The above reasons are not taken from any figures or facts stated in publications and general media. This is whatrepparttar people themselves tell me. They arerepparttar 104201 words fromrepparttar 104202 coal face, real people…managers, personal assistants, administrative staff, sales people; regular run-of-the mill people.

It doesn't take much to retain valuable people and one ofrepparttar 104203 easiest ways is to offer flexibility.

Where isrepparttar 104204 Family Friendly Workplace?

One of my clients - John - who is a manager in a large organisation - was telling me that his wife Mary, an accountant recently changed jobs, from working part-time in a suburban practice to full-time inrepparttar 104205 city. She did this as a career move as she couldn't find stimulating work part-time in suburbia. (I'm sure many women can relate to that).

Having two children - 7 and 4, she leaves for work when they're still asleep inrepparttar 104206 morning and arrives home around 6.30 p.m. at night.

Luckily her husband works locally and can handlerepparttar 104207 morning care and has his in-laws dorepparttar 104208 afternoon care. His wife is already feeling stressed, tired and guilty because she cannot be around for her kids.

How easy would it be for an employer to offer more flexibility say 3 days a week start at 10.00 a.m., 3 afternoons finish at 4.00 p.m. Mary wouldn't mind a cut in her pay packet - she just wants to balance her life.

At this rate, Mary will not remain too long with her current employer as she will findrepparttar 104209 long hours will take their toll. It's even harder forrepparttar 104210 single parents. Not to mentionrepparttar 104211 long-term effect it has onrepparttar 104212 person and their kids. A grumpy, tired and stressed person doesn't make for a good productive employee or parent.

Think Laterally

Why isn't there more flexibility inrepparttar 104213 workplace? Just because people 'start' at 9.00 a.m. and 'finish' at 5.00 p.m. (I know some of you work longer hours), doesn't mean people actually 'work'.

In fact 80% ofrepparttar 104214 day is generally non-productive. To find out exactly where your time goes, fill in a timesheet for one week (email us and we'll send you one of ours). Record what you have done for a full working week and you will be amazed where you spend your time. In most instances you will find your time is taken up by various interruptions, many of which can be avoided,non-productive meetings, and activities which generally are a waste of time.

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