The Sweeney Agency Speaker News
Speakers' Tips for Making Meetings More Productive
September 9, 2010
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 As that famous business strategist and Monty Python member John Cleese said "If it wasn't for the sleep we got at meetings...we'd never be able to work this late."
Those who spend their time organizing and attending meetings know that they're not always as useful as we would like.
Productivity is the key! In this newsletter we've asked three of our best business strategists/speakers to share their insights into running a more productive meeting. We hope you find these ideas useful...
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Patrick Lencioni
Author of the best-selling book Death by Meeting
1.Know
the purpose of your meeting. Is
it about solving a tactical, short-term problem, or a critical strategic issue? Are participants meant to brainstorm, debate,
offer alternatives, or just sit and listen?
2.Clarify what is at stake. Do
participants understand the price of having a bad meeting? Do they know what could go wrong if bad decisions are made? If not, why
should they care?
3. Hook them from the outset. Have you
thought about the first 10 minutes of your meeting and how you're going to get people engaged? If you don't tee up your
topi c and dramatize why it matters, you might as well invite participants to check-out.
4. Set
aside enough time. Are you going to be tempted to end
the meeting before resolution has been achieved? Contrary to popular wisdom, the mark of a great
meeting is not how short it is, or whether it ends on time. The key is whether it ends with clarity
and commitment from participants.
5.
Provoke conflict. Are your people uncomfortable during
meetings and tired at the end? If not, they're not getting to the bottom
of important issues.
Patrick Lencioni's full bio and video
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John Izzo
Best-selling author, speaker and business advisor
"At the end
of the day meetings are about more than inspiration and information. The goal
of a meeting is that people take action AFTER the meeting in some meaningful
way.
I am amazed at how little attention is paid to finding ways to ensure people do something with what they have learned. I work very hard with my
clients both to help people integrate the material on site but also helping the
client find simple ways to follow up.
Here is an example: send out an e-mail
within a week identifying some of the key learning points and ask attendees to
send an e-mail back about what they are doing differently based on what they
learned. Then send a follow-up e-mail with examples of what people are doing. I
find that by implementing five small actions during and after the meeting, I
can double the likelihood that people take action."
John Izzo's full bio and video
Follow John Izzo on Twitter |
Nicholas Boothman
Author of How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less
1. Futureshift
If a conflict arises shift to the future tense. Here's why: blame is delivered in the past tense. "You didn't do this or that!" Values take
place in the present tense. "We believe in this or that." Options and choices
always take place in the future tense, "Yes you have a point, so let's try a or
b?" When you futureshift
you find opportunities and leave the past behind.
2. Capture the Imagination
Instead of saying, "this is a multi-faceted project with
time schedules to be carefully considered as we....." try using an image to
capature the imagination. "This project is kind of like a Rubik's cube -
some parts may appear to come together quickly but don't get complacent......"
Or, instead of saying, "I intend to maximise my footwork by
transferring my weight frequently as I move around the designated area and take
advantage of my superior reach to deliver blows with intensity...." Try saying
"I'm going to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee!"
Capture the imagination and you capture the heart. An image
that everyone can see in their mind is memorable, simple and motivating.
Nick Boothman's Full Bio and Video
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For more information please contact us at 1-866-727-7555
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