Tips on Effective meetings

How to Make the Most of Meetings

1. Time is of the Essence
Start your meeting on time regardless of the number of absent members. Don't punish those who arrived on time by waiting for others. Tell latecomers they can get what they missed later. This sets the standard for future meetings and may encourage people to arrive on time more consistently.

2. Request the "Honor of Your Presence" with Advanced Notice
When developing a meeting agenda, fill it with exciting action words to make it sound as inviting as possible. Dale Carnegie suggested, "arouse in the other person an eager want." Promise participants change or excitement.

3. Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
In a written format, at least 48 hours in advance, send out an informal agenda with topics, speakers, time constraints, action items, and desired results. Insist that each participant is prepared and has the proper documents and research. This will build momentum toward positive results and keep the meeting's momentum moving forward. If there are topics that require advance research, provide that information with the agenda.

4. Go for the Goal
Know what result is desired from the start and communicate it at every opportunity. Guide meeting conversations and discussions toward that conclusion. When meetings within meetings occur, remind participants of the ultimate goal to get things back on track.

5. Moving On
Have a list of questions ready to stimulate thought. Remember to keep things moving at a brisk pace. Try incorporating some of these questions:

·           How will this happen?

·           Where has this worked before?

·           Is there any evidence that will verify what has been said?

·           How do we start and maintain momentum?

·           Will this idea have any constraints?

6. Have a Seat, Be Comfortable!
Some say that if a room is cramped and uncomfortable, it will stimulate quick thinking and motivate the attendees to do what they need to do so they can return to the comfort of their desks. The opposite is also true. Some sources suggest setting up fewer chairs than needed. Late arrivals will feel uncomfortable when attempting to squeeze into the group, motivating them to arrive on time in the future. However, this strategy could backfire and cause negative results in some situations. Use proper judgment if exercising this option.

7. Try a Stand-Up Routine
Some organizations have meetings where everyone stands up. The idea is that the body and the brain work more effectively from this position. These types of meetings can achieve results quickly because it is easier to think off the top of the head when on the feet.

8. Eat -- then Meet
If you plan to have food at a meeting, schedule a separate time for eating into the itinerary. If the meeting begins at 8:00 sharp, in the agenda, state that breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 8:00 and that only coffee will be available after 8:00. Hunger can be the reason people show up, but the highlight of the meeting should not be the brand of bagels or the type of doughnuts served; it should be the meeting's results.

9. Read the Rules
As the facilitator, another ground rule to cut down on interruptions should be to ensure that voice mail is in operation or that telephone messages will be taken for the participants. We all know the "turn off the cell phone rule." Use it! This will eliminate reasons for anyone to miss one minute of the excitement. Be sure to provide breaks so that participants can check messages -- make sure to mention when the meeting will reconvene and stick to that time.

10. There's Always a Next Time
If appropriate, schedule the next meeting before the end of this one so that all involved have the same advance notice to arrange their schedules. Allow enough time for projects and assignments to be completed (if necessary). Make sure that these action and follow-up items are written down, so there is no confusion afterward. Distribute minutes no more than 48 hours after the meeting and reinforce task accountability.

Public Speaking

Last week our company emailed our database a marketing piece about the Dale Carnegie course that included a link to a free booklet that we offer called, “Speak More Effectively”.  The response in people downloading this booklet was incredible.  This is obviously an important topic for people in business today.

As our team followed up these inquiries we talked with people that say they need to build their confidence, when speaking in front of groups.  As adults, we are interested in a quick and easy way to speak effectively.  The only way we can achieve results quickly is to have the right attitude about achieving our goal and a firm foundation of principles to build upon. 

Here are a few key principles:

1. Speak about something that: (a) You have earned the right to talk about through study and experience;(b) You are excited about; and(c) You are eager to tell your listeners about.

2. Make brief notes of the interesting things you want to mention.

3. Don't write out your talks.

4. Never, never, never memorize a talk word for word.

5.   Fill your talk with illustrations and examples.

There are other principles that we bring forward in our programs but the biggest advantage that we offer is the chance to practice, receive expert coaching and of course more practice, which makes permanent.

Building confidence and being able to think on your feet when presenting can only be overcome by doing.  Reading a book with principles is a foundation, but to truly learn a new skill and change our behaviour we must practice.  And with expert coaching that learning cycle can be speed up considerably.

I talked to a person that has been a member of Toast Masters for year and a half and although she has gained confidence she feels that there is something missing.  Toast Masters is a good program for those that want to improve their presentations skills as it shows that they have the right attitude.  Without the basic principles and professional coaching it becomes very difficult for adults to learn new skills and create new habits.

Cold Calling Tips

I recently talked to a young lady that wanted some tips on cold calling.  She had the responsibility of calling companies to sell booth space at an upcoming trade show.  I know that others are required to do this as well, so I thought I would share these tips with you.

Preparation is a major part of the process that should not be overlooked.  Preparation gives us a reserve power so we can have informed discussions with our perspective clients.  A person who is prepared is more confident and effective during the sales process.

Here are a few steps to help you prepare for your next sales call:

1)    Get the information - Research key information about the industry, company, and people.  This research should yield specific key issues and needs that your prospective client is facing. 

2)    Compile evidence  - Research your own company.  Has your company done business with a company in the same industry as your prospect?  Do some of their issues match?  You should share the results your company has achieved for others.

3)    Find a contact - Look through your client list to see if there is any connection to any of your prospects.  Contacts can help you more easily navigate past gatekeepers and get you talking to decision makers.

4)    Set specific call objectives - Know what you want to accomplish during the call.  Do you want them to request more information? Do you want to set up an appointment?

5)     Know how you want to open the call - Planning an opening is a great way to start a sales call. Remember, you want to be concise, clear and persuasive.

Happy Selling!

What skills does your organization need to improve on?

Employers rank the importance of skills needed in their employees;

1)       Communication

2)       Strong work ethic

3)       Teamwork…..

10)  Technical

Are you spending only on technical and product training?

What are the top issues/challenges in your organization?

I’m not saying that technical training is not important, you need that base knowledge or you’re not in the game.  But in today’s demanding business environment companies require even more from their employees.   We need people that can work effectively with others, build relationships with customers, communicate effectively and work with a sense of pride for their company.

What surprises me is the emphasis that so many managers and owners put on technical and product training and how they believe how unique their businesses are.  In no way am I saying that all businesses are the same.   It would likely surprise most people that the issues that plague your organization are much the same issues all business owners face.  In our business we have the opportunity to talk to many people in many different businesses and we hear similar kinds of challenges.  And generally most of these issues are on the people side of the skill set.

As your budgeting for training for your staff don’t forget the soft skills.  If you’re not sure what your employees require, there are some great assessment tools available to help assess individual, team and organizational needs. 

Have a great week!

Employee Engagement

A recent article suggested that ½ of all employees are not engaged.  I guess the actual number is irrelevant, whether it’s 30% or 60%, the issue here is what this means to our business and what can we do about this problem.

Here are some statistics that clearly show what engaged employees bring to our business.

·         Mercer Delta data suggests that engaged employees deliver 4 times more value to the company.

·         Gallup research says that engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave an organization.

·         Watson Wyatt’s research suggests that engaged employees are 47% - 202% more productive.

If this problem exists in your organization do you think that changing this, if we can, should be a priority?  I would hope so, if half of my employees are not engaged in what we are doing, where we want to go and don’t care about our customers the business would be finished.

The research doesn’t stop there; they also asked employees what they want.  55% of managers said they wanted inspiration from their leaders and that only 11% were getting it. (Source DTI 2008)  My friends and colleagues have often heard me say that you can’t motivate people, as motivation comes from within, as leaders all we can do is inspire others so that they can motivate themselves.

What is inspiration?

I worked for a President of a company that had this kind of influence on me and others in the company.  One of his ideas was that people may forget what you did or what you said, but they will never forget the way you make them feel. 

What qualities, skills and abilities do business leaders need to engage employees?  The first thing we need to consider is our attitude; we need to believe that we can change, we need to change and that we will do it.  If we have made this commitment to change then here are some principles that will help us engage our employees.

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain
2. Give honest, sincere appreciation
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want
4. Become genuinely interested in them
5. Smile
6. Remember and use their names
7. Be a good listener
8. Talk in terms of the their interests
9. Make people feel valued and important, and do it sincerely .

These principles are the first of 30 that Dale Carnegie outlined in the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”  They work if you use them, Warren Buffet measured the difference between using these principles and not using them and in his book “The Snowball Effect” and he said quite simply that they have made a large difference in his business and they work.

I recently watched an episode of Undercover Boss, where an employee said to the undercover CEO that working for the old company was better.  When asked why, she simply said, “If felt more appreciated.”

Lets engage our employees, ask for their input and ideas, give them sincere appreciation and you’ll see a better and more productive work place.

"How to Win Friends and Influence People."

Last week I was discussing the Dale Carnegie classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People, with a prospect.   They suggested that the human relation principles in the book are common sense.  I agreed this is likely very true, but I also said that these principles are not common practice.  That sounds rather harsh, yet unforunately, it's true.  It's human nature.  After all, learning the principles put forth in the book is one thing.  But consciously and consistently applying them in everyday life is another.  How many people read a book and change their behavior in a substantial way?

It's just like anything in life, we know what we "should" do, but quite often we don't do it.  We know that we should exercise regulary, however, many of us choose not to.  Albert Einstein once said;  "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten."  Without a doubt, hard work and dedication at applying the human relation principles has changed the lives of millions of people around the world that have taken the Dale Carnegie Course.

Millions of people have the read the famous book and don't realize that the Dale Carnegie course helps adults learn how to put those common sense principles into practice.  The results can be truly amazing, in the work place and in our personal lives. 

I make it a point to give value in my blogs and stay away from selling!  Sorry I'm a business owner that passionately believes in what we do!

If you you've read the book and believe that it is a great way to live your life, look into the Dale Carnegie course. 

 Take a chance to improve and do something different!!

Have a great week!

Leadership

I heard a great quote last week,

“The responsibility of leadership is not to come up with all the ideas

but to create an environment in which great ideas can happen.”

This is the key difference between being a manager and being a leader in our organizations.

Good managers organize process, in other words they have the keen ability to implement and drive processes in areas such as: Recruiting & Hiring Process, Performance Process (accountability), Developing sales people, coaching etc.

Leaders on the other hand manage the people side of the business which include: building the team, recognizing potential, leading effective meetings and inspiring others.

I have often said that as leaders we cannot motivate others, all we can do is inspire people and teams to motivate themselves. In a recent survey 55% respondents said inspiration is the number one thing that people look for in their manager but only 11% suggested that they were receiving this.

So how do we inspire others?

This takes time by getting to know our people and what is important to them.  Dale Carnegie suggested these human relation principles for true leadership:

Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.

Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

Let the other person save face.

Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement.  Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.

Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

Use encouragement.   Make the fault seem easy to correct.

Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

If you use these principles you will find that you will earn the respect of your team and they will want to follow you.