how to run a successful meeting in half the time Milo O Frank p 17 - meetings are a fact of our everyday business lives - two basic essentials of any career: - how well you present yourself and your ideas - how well you work with other people - this is exactly what meetings are all about p 18 - why are so many meetings boring, unproductive, and almost always too long - no specific, clear cut "objective" for the meeting, its leaders, or its participants - no meeting agenda - too many or the wrong choice of participants - no consideration for allies or antagonists - failure to prepare properly - inability to present ideas concisely - lack of sound leadership and control - improper use of visual aids - too many digressions and interruptions - time wasted on "why" rather than "how" - mixed final decisions p 21 Q when should you call a meeting? A when a meeting is the best way to achieve your objective p 23 Q what is your objective, and how do you find it? A look for the goal, the purpose, the basic reason for holding a meeting - mtg w/o clear cut objective is a trip to nowhere; goes on forever - know objective of that meeting before calling or attending p 25 - goal mining - to find objective ask: - why am I holding the meeting? - why am I going to participate in the meeting? - what do I want to achieve at that meeting? - what do I want to achieve after the meeting is over? - mtg w/o specific objecgive is almost certain to achieve nothing specific; is a waste of time Q how do you know if your objective is best served by a meeting? A look at the alternatives p 26 - to determine if you should hold a meeting: - is a meeting the only means of fulfilling my objective? - if not, what are the alternatives? - how effective are the alternatives? - is a meeting the best means of fulfilling my objective? - will a meeting use my time and my colleagues time to our best advantage? - incl prep time and follow-up mtgs p 28 Q should you hold meetings on a routine basis? A routine meetings are effective only as long as each one continues to fulfill your objective Q what damage can an unnecessary meeting do? A it can destroy your objective Q when can you gain more from a meeting you don't have than from one you do? A when you can save everyone time - holding or attending continuous string of meetings is not a sign of power and importance - if meetings are merely routine or unnecessary than they are a sure sign of bad management p 34 Q who should participate? A those who can influence the fulfillment of the meeting objective - unnecessary participants (like unnecessary meetings) are a waste of everyone's time - analyzed the potential participants' feelings on the issue in question - person opposing your objective may do more harm by being excluded than by being present p 36 - questions to help decide whom to include: - whom are you obligated to invite? - who can give you what you want? - who is in favor of your objective? - who will oppose your objective? - who is on the fence? - who can cause trouble if not invited? Q how many participants should you invite? A number of people you invite is directly proportional to the length of any meeting - successful meeting depends on who is present - who is present depends on who is invited p 37 - the more participants the more difficult it is to achieve your objective - the more specific the objective of the meeting, the fewer the necessary participants - small groups invite candor, intimacy, and real results - when group > 10 people then opposing parties try to impress their colleagues instead of achieve results - no one will feel excluded or overlooked if he is excluded from meeting with an objective in which he has no particular concern p 38 Q how should you prepare? A use the memo or agenda as both a blueprint and a plan of action for every meeting - unfocused exploratory meetings are like trying to find your way out of the labyrinth in the dark - carefully prepared memo or agenda is the best way to save time and get results p 39 - asking yourself the right questions will always helped you find, formulate, and focus your ideas - questions make you think - questions sometimes motivate you into coming up with new and imaginative ideas - written memo or agenda - best means of giving and securing information - will focus you as well as recipients on objective of meeting and means to achieve it - use as guide and reference during meeting - after meeting can serve as reminder of what was to be accomplished - after meeting can serve as means of checking on follow-up actions - time spent preparing written memo or agenda will save time during any meeting - keep it short; no memo longer than one page - additional materials should be included on separate pages p 42 Q what should good memo or agenda include? A - state objective of the meeting - issues to be discussed - time meeting will begin and end - place - participants involved - what is expected of them in way of preparing before the meeting p 47 Q memo or menu: should you mixed meetings with meals? A yes if your objective is to establish a social as well as a business relationship - always best if you conclude the social meeting by setting a date for a business meeting in a business setting - ice has already been broken - beginning of relationship has been put in motion - business meeting will be shorter and more effective p 50 - power breakfasts has several advantages - may feel fresher the morning - can use time more productively since you have to eat anyway - may even arrange a future meeting on the spot that otherwise might not happen - people may be more likely to be available - less time wasted on socializing or meeting and elaborate meal than with lunch or dinner - breakfast meetings are usually short - when breakfast is over so is the meeting; everyone has something else to do p 52 - luncheon meetings always takes longer - always time taken for a cocktail - three rules to shorten luncheon meetings/achieve better results - pick a restaurant closest to a majority of those attending; less travel time required - come early: better service and out faster - limit alcohol: shortens attention span and lengthens the meeting - to shorten any meeting do not introduce anyone except those participants who are directly involved in the objectives of the meeting p 54 dinner meetings - best for social approach - worst for specific business objectives - you are tired; one just does not think clearly at the end of a busy day - slow thinking makes slow meetings - begin early and finish early - more elegant the restaurant and longer your meeting and the harder it is to achieve your objective p 55 Q when should you attend the meeting that you think will be a waste of time? A when a meeting of what it is an opportunity wasted - determine how meeting can be of value to you - recognize that every meeting is an opportunity to fulfill your personal objective Q what preparation is required to make any meeting work for you? A a brief prepared message is essential to every participant in every meeting - his example: saw newspaper story about ugly dogs put to sleep at pound; he prepared message telling viewers to go save a doomed animal Q is there are specific form for your concise message? A every message should include a "grabber" opening, a main idea, and a demand on the audience p 62 Q how do you prepare for a meeting where there is opposition to your objective? A determine your opponent's objective before the meeting - OK to have objective that is different from objective of the leader of the meeting or other participants - in a potentially adversarial situation he prepared and be concise p 65 - how to determine an opponent's objective - what does my opponent wants? - why does he want it? - how to determine your strategy - what are the strongest points in favor of my opponent's objective? - what are the strongest points against? - who else is on my opponent's side? - who are my allies? - what are the strongest points I can make that will accomplish my objective? - these answers will help measure your chances of success and planned strategy accordingly p 66 Q is there a way to guarantee success for your objective in any meeting? A getting the right people on your side in advance will save endless time and lost causes - get alliance and support in a day's - even better: get approval before your meeting from the person or persons authorized to make a final decision - then why have the meeting? Informational forum/courtesy to all who will be involved in decision - take advantage of any helpful suggestions that may be offered by the participants p 70 Q what are the best tools for overcoming meeting pressures? A knowing what to say in how to say it - meetings are pressure situations: time pressure, peer pressure, competition pressure, pressure to make decisions - no decisions means wasted time and more meetings - vital to be able to say exactly what he want to say in an interesting manner and in and short a time period as possible - will earn respect of your peers and the boss; facilitate the decision-making process; and save time - somebody always has to get somewhere and others just want to go home Q where should the leader sit? A where he will be the focus of attention - end of rectangle or table farthest from entrance to room - could also sit in center seat along length of the table (doesn't command as much attention) p 72 Q where should a participant sit? A opposite the meeting leader, if possible - allow you to talk directly to him and include other participants as well - trying to sit next to leader may anoint other participants in the leader - you get the best seat by getting their first p 73 - every meeting participant becomes the meeting leader when it is his turn to speak - where ever you set the comfort of the chair you were sitting on is inversely proportionate to your energy level - energy level is directly proportionate to the speed with which you achieve your objective - to events falling asleep sit on the edge of your seat - keep you alert and adds energy - makes you come across to listener with more intensity and power - can also help to be a more involved and confident person; a sure way to make friends in get better results - do not read prepared message aloud - no presentation or statement should ever be read aloud or memorized - want to be natural and easy, express wants and feeling; these are basics of excellent communicating p 74 Q how do you make someone else's questions serve your purpose? A use it as a bridge to your own message - ex. answer their question, but then finish with the message that you wanted to present - need to make it sound like a natural transition - two absolute musts: 1) answer the question; 2) make your point - can still use this even if you don't know the answer - don't want to waste an opportunity - can say, "I don't know the answer. I'll find out and let you know. But something I do know..." - can try to link your message to another statement by another participant - ex. "That is a powerful and true statement, <>. <>" - using someone else's question or statement to get a prepared, short message across his absolutely the best method of achieving your objective in any meeting - when participant answers questions and turns his answer into his prepared statement then he becomes the leader and controls meeting while he is speaking - if the subject he introduces continues under discussion than his control continues as well - when you use a question as an opportunity to make your point it will stick in the mind of your listener p 78 Q What is the single most powerful technique in communicating your message? A a personal story that makes your point - under pressure = sometimes hard to remember what you are going to say - not hard to remember personal stories - hard to forget your own experiences; even easier to talk about them - easy for people to identify with your personal stories - more dramatic or humorous = more effective it will be - story must be true - spoken words disappear quickly from mind and memory - must make people see word pictures - word pictures stay in the minds of your listeners - listeners will remember visual imagery and identify with you and your objective - personal stories is best presentation technique because they almost always include word pictures - objective at any meeting is to get your message across as effectively as possible - vivid personal story will do that and in much less time p 81 Q what is often more important than the content of your message? A how you say it - often not what we say but how we say it that makes the most lasting impression - before any meeting you should have prepared what you're going to say - here is how you should say it (techniques for good self-presentation : how to achieve them) - expression and animation : feel-good and care about what you say - self-confidence and sincerity : believe in what you say - appropriate body language and gestures : relax and don't think about it - eye contact : site on your target - energy and enthusiasm : like what you talk about - credibility : speak the truth - emotion : allow your feelings freedom - variation in tone, level, speed of your voice : think of variations a musician gets with his violin - smile : think of what amuses you - personalization : be yourself; tell stories about yourself - practice in front of a mere or in front of good friend - you are not born with the ability to communicate brilliantly; is a learned process - once learned you'll say what you need to say in half the time, and audience will remember it p 83 Q what are the four elements that will make any meeting twice as successful in half the time? A time constraints, preparation, proper presentation, and control - time constraints - especially if participants have someplace to be right after this mtg is scheduled to end - preparation - formalized preplanning for every meeting - written agenda - if written response is required then it's limited in number of words - agenda includes specific issues and clearcut objectives to be addressed - agenda informs participants of what will be expected of them - agenda provides time limit for both participant and subject under discussion - proper presentation - each participant is expected to present his or her viewpoint in clear, concise, interesting manner within prescribed length of time - control - Director controls the meeting and each person's participation - priorities are set, and a firm but polite attitude prevails p 87 Q why is a visual aid more concise than spoken words? A pictures are instantly comprehended; words are not - if visual aid will get your message across effectively then it's a big timesaver at any meeting Q should a visual aid be the most important aspect of your presentation? A visual aid is just that - an aid to the speaker, not the main event - most frequent experience encountered in visual presentations = total lacquered direction pacing - even a freeform brainstorming meeting needs direction pacing - all visuals should be intelligently planned, interesting, informative, memorable, humans - and shorter - although concerns about most visual presentations can be handled effectively (with specific techniques) almost no one seems to be aware that these techniques even exist p 90 - any visual aid should be used to complement speaker's presentation - should not cause listener or viewer to divide attention between the two - visuals often used as crutches - visuals are also habit forming - take the place of Notes - presenter counts on them to keep him on track - take control him rather than the other way around - questions to ask in order to determine whether or not to prepare and use visuals: - is the meeting room conducive to visuals - are my visuals better than the proverbial thousand words - what kind of visual is best to reinforce a particular point - is it illustrative of my words - is my visual truly visual, or is it a photograph of a lot of words - in each instance doesn't illustrate clearly the point I wish to make - are the visuals repetitive - Will they save time and hold the audiences a tension or just the reverse Q how do you save time in the use of visuals? A vivid images, careful preparation, concise presentation, silence during viewing are the keys - if dull or misused than they can ruin a presentation - if used properly than they can shorten a meeting and make it more productive p 92 flip charts - position in corner of room, not center - make sure everyone can see - prepared in advance = can turn the pages without pause - if you are writing as you go along then do not speak as you are writing - print - when you speak, face the audience - when you turn to the chart to indicate something, do not speak until you turn back to your listeners - consider the chart your silent friend reinforcing your spoken words - write only keyword or short abbreviated sentences - keep less than 25 words in view at any time - don't write long sentences and then read them aloud - present one idea at a time - if subject is complex and requires four or five steps then do not write them all at once - disclose each additional step separately, leaving others in place - this will hold interest and build to complete understanding p 93 slides - prepared in advance - you should always rehearse when you use them to become familiar with their content and equipment - if someone else is changing slides then use subtle signal - "Next slide, please" is the dullest sentence in the English language - place screen in a corner of the room, not center, for better viewing - don't darken room completely; keep a light on you, and bright enough to take notes - changed visuals swiftly without awkward pauses or bright flashes of light - return to normal lighting after presentation or during nonvisual segments of the presentation - make intro or explanation of visual before presenting, then present at say nothing to give audience opportunity to store before you offer any further explanation or go on to next visual - alternative: - vary your presentation, show the visual and don't speak for several seconds so audience can concentrate on it - then say what you have to say, preferably after turning off the visual - any visual that requires too much explanation is defeating it on purpose and diluting the impact of your message p 95 film - difference between film/video tape and other visual aids: - film = more complex and more expensive; can be more effective - can be great timesavers; speak for themselves - can be great time wasters - select inappropriate video; prepare one that doesn't get your message across - questions to ask before presenting video or film: - is content suitable for occasion and audience - does it have right level of comprehension (not too complex nor too elementary) - should entire film or tape be shown - would it be effective to stop to emphasize a point, ask/answer questions, or generate discussion - what other kinds of info is necessary before, during, and after - is there a better alternative - place as close to end of meeting as possible - OR your personal meeting presentation becomes anticlimactic - can start with that if it is the basis of the subject you want to examine and discuss - explain why you are showing it before you turn off the lights - ex "are you really safe when you travel? here is a film that speaks louder than any words I can say on the subject" - don't talk during film; stop film for comments - sum up key points at conclusion of film with lights on and projector off - keep film 30 minutes or shorter - don't show film at Andover long workday p 97 - distribute handouts and of needing to handle technical info - don't count on visual aid or spoken comment if your material is highly technical - ex. think of someone giving you a phone number quickly on the phone - you are in trouble if you don't write it down - technical familiarity will not solve the problem - if listeners are familiar with your material, know what you're saying and know where you're heading in the ants then you shouldn't be having the meeting - for semitechnical or highly technical situations prepare a handout and distributed at the completion of the meeting - do not handout earlier or you will lose the attention of your audience as they read well you speak - 7 general rules for all visual aids - visual should emphasize an idea, clarify a concept, or illustrate the story - visual is visual; let people look at it without disturbance - visual is meant to be seen, not read - use variety: different pictures, words, charts, bar graphs, map curves - visual can talk for you; don't distract your listeners' attention by talking all through a visual - rehearse - present broad concepts or simplified versions of complex subjects only - more complex or technical info should be distributed at handouts only at the conclusion of your presentation p 98 - props can speak louder than words - objects focus attention to make a point within seconds - one person has a tiny lead bull - during every meeting he put it in the middle of the table - when someone got long-winded he put the bowl directly in front of that person - you should take a risk in a meeting when it can mean a giant step forward - in a very fancy boardroom a company president spit on the shining mahogany conference table - took out handkerchief and wiped out - said, "disgusting act, wasn't it? but you'll remember it" - company president wanted to produce more imaginative and visual ideas to sell his products - didn't want to waste time and long discussions - unusual act is memorable - gets attention and makes a point that will stay in the mind of a listener or viewer - don't be afraid to take a calculated risk in order to fulfill your objective in the shortest possible time - avoid a bored room p 103 - no one likes to look foolish in front of our peers, employees, boss, or anyone - we often "settle" - ex read speach; it's safe; won't look good, but won't look bad - don't settle for mediocrity - man in a boardroom gets the floor and shows three yellow tennis balls - balls labeled revenue, price, and service - man juggles them - says, "these are our issues and problems; which are we going to drop?" - carefully put balls down and says, "we don't have to drop any" - then he presents his plan - excellent attention grabber, but risky - taking risks creates an opportunity for leadership - good leadership can result debate, shorten the meeting, help avoid other meetings p 110 - make a dull meeting last dull by shortening it - ignore interruptions at meetings; they are a great time waster - keep a meeting from running over time by setting a time-limited advance and stick to it - one-man brought alarm clock the meetings - said "this meeting will be X minutes long; when the alarm goes, I go; when I go, you go; the meeting is over." - everyone liked it and liked him for organizing everyone's time - if a meeting runs over it is usually the fault of the leader - in some cases it is unavoidable - surprising what can be accomplished if there is no other choice - ex when your income tax final deadline is hours away, do you finish your return on time? p 113 - stagger meeting attendance to minimize amount of time each participant must spend in a meeting - meeting between co-chairman and subcommittee chairmen - each subcommittee chairman invited to entire meeting - each subcommittee chairman only needs to attend their half hour status section p 115 - set off the meantime to get participants to show up on time - 2:10 is more memorable than 2:00; time management experts say we're more apt to be on time - the more specific the time, the more likely people are to arrive promptly - when meetings are scheduled at rounded-off hours, people tend to allow an extra 10 minutes before they think of themselves as being late - how to deal with latecomers - wait for decisionmakers; for others it's the leader's judgment call - to play hardball - lock the door at the meeting start time - at meeting start time put all empty chairs in the hallway - "nothing iss gained but bad feelings on all sides if a latecomer is bawled out or addressed sarcastically" - can say "we're glad you're here", fill them in briefly on what has transpired, or merely continue the meeting - latecomer will appreciate the courtesy and do his best to be on time for the next meeting - the "action" is up to the latecomer - he should apologize if I'm disappointed seat as quickly and quietly as possible p 117 - whose job is it to keep the meeting short? - leader points the way; participants will follow - can give joint responsibility to meeting members - tell everyone that when you hear something not directly to the point then raise your hand with index finger pointed upward - (that indicates that we'd better get back to the point and watch the clock) - when first fingers pointed upward there may be an immediate silence, then some defensiveness and an attempt to explain - another finger may go up then p 118 - keep meeting on track by discussing only one issue at a time - discuss only one question at a time - other discussions based on that question are irrelevant until the first question has been decided - this is where knowledge of parliamentary or seizures are invaluable - for parliamentary procedures to keep any large meeting as concise and to the point as possible - especially where questions are going to be debated by a considerable number of attendees - heads and tails - present both sides of the question - each member who speaks in favor should be followed by speaker who is against it - stopwatch - limit length of time the speaker may have the floor (10 min, 5 min, 2 min) - whatever length seems appropriate to length of meeting and number of attendees - three is a crowd - limit number of times a speaker may speak on any given questioned twice - twice on any individual question; not twice in the meeting - even a duel needs seconds - once a question has been discussed, a motion is made to take further action - verify there is sufficient support for a motion - if a motion is not seconded then it is not put to a vote p 121 - you should interrupt when you want to take the floor and gain control - interrupting is a meeting tool - method of taking the floor and gaining control - not allowing interruptions holds the floor and control - methods of interrupting - raised hand and say, "just a second, May I ..." and continue speaking - stand; person speaking will usually pause; call that person by name and say, "John, there something else" and continue speaking - just speaking and raise the level of your voice above the person speaking - when you ask for permission to interrupt don't wait for permission to be granted but continued directly to your message - difficult in a brisk meeting to hold back and allow others to finish presenting what you consider to be incorrect assumptions and actions when you know you have the right and perfect insert to the problem - bad business manners to interrupt - can also be embarrassing if you're perfect point is not perfect and was thought out and discarded long ago - think twice before making yourself vulnerable by interrupting the speaker - interruptions can lead to digressions which prolong the length of a meeting - polite interruptions that cuts off a big Russian is an excellent way to save time p 123 - prevent yourself from being interrupted by insisting on finishing your point - when you are making your point in some of interrupts you then you lose control and the opportunity to present your point - if you are sure of what you're saying and have your concise effective statement under way than do not accept interruptions - say "please hold your thought" or "just a second" or "please, just let me finish" - if someone interrupts that speak louder - if they speak the latter then use the latter still - if they speak even louder just stop and say nothing - he will look foolish and know it and you will win - hold up your hand, palm out, and continue speaking - no matter how politely you interrupt someone, don't let anyone interrupt you - no matter how politely - is absolutely essential for meeting participants to be able to finish statements - especially if statements are concise, carefully thought-out, and well-prepared - these statements can, and will, be the key to your meeting success - your message can be brief, bright, and beautiful but totally useless if you don't get it across p 124 - to handle destructive criticism makes the critic prove his point - people who interrupt, ask adversary questions, just plain disrupt meetings in order to show how much they know or to gain authority - you break it, you buy it - ask the harshest critic to present a thorough analysis of this proposal along with three or four workable alternatives p 126 - to stop people from gnawing at every detail than create subcommittee and invite them to gnaw at their meeting - at the regular meeting say that the matter needed no discussion and that anyone interested could attend the subcommittee meeting - this puts qualified people in the right place to do the right job can get the fastest results p 128 - get experts to come to the meeting to provide answers if meeting members are not experts on a subject under consideration - unanswered and deferred questions mean more meetings p 129 - real test of success of any meeting is that necessary decisions are "signed, sealed, and delivered" - often the best way to accomplish that is to put it to a vote - analysis = paralysis - make the decision even if you don't have every fact known to exist - people like to sit on the fence - we think "no decision" can keep us out of trouble - voting is the perfect answer to that time waster - vote when discussion is analyst at a meeting - can also take straw vote: sample vote to give an indication but not commit on the subject - give the vote is close then more discussion is in order - if not then you are in a much stronger position to call for the real vote p 130 - emotion prolongs meetings by resisting logic - best way to get good results is to be objective and focus you thinking toward achieving your goal - emotions obscure your thinking process - cannot use logic to convince someone if his mind is blocked by emotion - the problem you are trying to address with logic usually isn't what the emotional listener thinks the problem is p 132 - to handle a person in an emotional state: make him all wear of his feelings, get him to talk, don't criticize him - sometimes a long meeting is actually short and saves time - short meeting with no result is a toll waste of time - meetings that do not accomplish anything lead to more meetings - to focus and fulfill a meeting objective generally involves logic and clear thinking on behalf of all concerned - people in any emotional state do not think clearly and are seldom logical - try to make such people aware of their emotions - ask them why they feel the way they do - get them to talk, to express their feelings - don't criticize them for being emotional - making them aware of their emotions is as far as you should go - also apply this to your own emotional reactions - recognize them for what they are and keep them under control - expressing strong negative emotions is almost counterproductive, and time-consuming - negativity emotions can be contagious - everyone digs in their heels and the meeting comes to complete standstill - you will save time by taking a break to let things cooled down or finding a pretext to reschedule the meeting p 134 - fighting a losing battles is the biggest meeting time waster of all - don't fight a losing battle when you can still win the war - read your audience at any meeting - try to judge how far you can go in order to achieve your main objective - measure your chances of success in every situation - if it looks impossible there is always on the day and another meeting p 136 - end a meeting with the objective has been accomplished - once meeting objective has been accomplished then bring mtg to a polite but firm conclusion - do not get into any additional business discussions VIDEO CONFERENCING - know how to make the best use of it - saves time; only have specific number of minutes on the air; forces careful thought on how to get the most for your buck - pros: - conserves time - reduces travel and travel expenses - speeds up decision making - gives exampled access to key people and data around the world - cons: - no personal contact - can create false impressions - requires special skills to perform on camera - technical difficulties - same preparation steps as for regular meetings - set objectives and prepare written agenda - selecet and confirm all attendees - schedule teleconferencing rooms and equipment for the time required - distribute agendas and teleconference rules to all participants - confirm agenda well in advance - prepare necessary visual aids - confirm where and how they will be used - major difference btwn teleconferencing and other types of meetings: you are on camera - don't be intimiadated; don't appear nervous - appearance counts - appearance, dress, manner of self-presentation are all vital factors - go to experts to make you look your best - hairstyle, makeup, dress - white is worst color to wear; Camera adjusts to it and darkens your face - plaids and busy patterns shimmer and vibrate on camera; take attention away from you and your message - lights can be very hot; dress accordingly - don't wear jewelry that may reflect the lights or cause distracting noises on the microphone - zombies lose - close shot magnifies your movements and expressions - not animated, nonsmiling = look serious, cold, and uncaring - a smile does wonders - variety of expression is an absolute must - sitting on the edge of your seat is especially important when you're on camera - slant your body foreword comfortably, giving you energy and conviction - be natural and speak in your normal tone of voice - practice is useful - playback practice video of your self to see exactly what you look and sound like - always assume you are on camera and act accordingly - don't blow your nose or straighten your tie when you think you are not on camera - always take notes to a teleconference meeting - lay them down on the table - never speak while looking down at the notes - notes keep you on track and help you say exactly what you want in the shortest possible time p 146 - 10 rules for teleconference leader - start on time - repeat start and finish time - review objective, ground rules, and who is present - encourage participation and help those who are new - use questions to stimulate discussion - use visuals as planned - ensure everyone gets equal time or time as set out by agenda - summarize and clarify key points - hold to the agenda to keep meeting on track - at that time of the teleconference meeting, summarize important decisions, key assignments, and follow-up actions - 10 rules for teleconference participants - use concise statement to make your point - state your name at least the first time you speak - use other participants' names; imagine they are sitting right across from you - don't carry on side conversations without muting your microphone - put your hand over it, gently - direct questions to specific individuals or locations - spell out unusual terms, names, and numbers - use verbal pointers - "please remember this" - "you might want to write this down" - use gestures; they give energy and vitality - be careful of quick movements; they sometimes blur - don't watch yourself on the monitor as you speak - relax and be yourself - keeping the value of time in mind makes you prepare more carefully - every person at meetings represents time and money spent - video teleconference equipment and facilities cost real dollars - these techniques will save you time in any meeting situation p 149 - results are the difference between stimulating discussions and a productive meeting - meetings involving long, rambling discussions are seldom productive - committee members should come to the meeting ready to vote - formal meetings are not rap sessions; they are for decisionmaking - meeting procedure for most consistently concise and productive meetings - meeting objective is clear - advance preparation is made on issues to be discussed by qualified staff - discussion papers of the meeting are prepared and delivered one week in advance of the meeting to committee members - only "final decision" items requiring a vote are permitted on the agenda - committee members are prepared - discussion is limited - a vote is taken p 151 - if your meeting is unsuccessful then change your tactics - evaluate the success of your meeting by asking participants for their written opinions - vital to determine the value of any meeting - at the end of every meeting the objective should be restated and the results of the meeting summarized - also restate any assignments that have been made and follow-up actions required - ask each participant to give his opinion of the meeting in writing w/in 72 hours - include brief answers to the following questions - did we achieve the meeting objective as stated in the agenda - if not, why not - what the three positive things can we do to improve the next meeting - what are three things we did that we should not do at the next meeting - what are the two most important things a leader can do to improve the meeting - what are the two most important things participants can do to improve the meeting - could we have done without this meeting - if so, how p 158 in the 17th century, an edict was passed by the Lord protector of England, Oliver Cromwell, that in order to curtail the savage practices of some of his troops (ranging from rape to pillage and murder), a new procedure would be initiated. The offending soldier and his entire company would assemble underneath the local gallows and hold a meeting. This meeting, in main, would consist of the rolling of dice. Everyone would participate. The man who lost would be hanged. Not necessarily the instigator of the crime, but simply the man who lost. The results were fewer crimes, fewer troops - and fewer meetings.