First impressions

There’s no second chance to make a strong first impression, which is critical in the development of relationships with unfamiliar faces at business and social encounters.

Although we’ve all been advised not to judge people on our first impressions, we all do it. Within seconds, we pass judgment on how people present themselves and appraise their behaviour from head to toe. Even at a glance we scan for those common surface clues!
And the impressions we create are virtually irreversible for good or for bad whether anyone likes it or not…

By learning the ‘rules’ you’ll start enjoying poise and success

beyond your wildest imaginings! First-time acquaintances will be eager to see you again and you’ll open up opportunities for friendships, jobs, promotions, love relationships, networking and sales.
This is both challenging and exciting.

Do you make your first impression your best? Here are some ways to be a fabulous first impression achiever in any situation:

• Ready or not: Within three seconds of every new situation, a person make an indelible impression on us. After that, we selectively filter our impressions of that person; sure, we’ll take in new information or perceptions about them, but only in terms of how it confirms what we already know about him or her. After making a good impression, we are predisposed to think favorably of that person.
• Know yourself: Assess your ‘typical’ behavior, physical appearance, lifestyle and the ‘type’ of person you are. Also, ask yourself the following questions:
  • What are your goals and how will you achieve them?
  • What impression do you want to create with others?
  • How good are you with remembering people’s names?
  • Do you tend to be engaged, warm, distracted or pompous?
  • Are you very attentive when it comes to attendance, reliability or punctuality?
  • Do you act or think like you know more about everything than your peers?
• Package deal: All-in-all the aim is to be pleasant, attractive and knowledgeable (PAK), 100% of the time, no matter where you are or what you do. Everyone you meet will enjoy your company!
• Appearance counts: It is human nature to constantly observe others’ demeanor, mannerisms and body language. If you sound like you are from the past and look like you just came through a wind tunnel, face it and do something about it.
• Dress: Standards for appropriate attire change frequently, nevertheless, the way you dress will affect the outcome of the encounter by presenting ideas about you to those you meet. Its therefore best practice to be dressed to the nines.
  • Always dress professionally at work, because you might unexpectedly meet a potential client.
  • Figure out what the appropriate dress code would be for each encounter.
  • Iron clothes and check that it is free from stains and in an acceptable condition and clean or polish shoes.
  • Ensure that your bag or briefcase contains only the essentials – notebook. pen etc.
  • Ladies: Complement your outfit with jewellery, make-up and other accessories – no make-up is considered unprofessional by some. Put lipstick and powder compact into your handbag.
  • If the weather is likely to chance, be prepared.
• Grooming: Ensure that you are all-round neat and fresh.
• Accessories: Watch, handbag, briefcase,

  jewellery

  to complement your outfit.

• Business etiquette: Follow the appropriate etiquette, keeping cultural and other sensitivities in mind.
• For starters: Smile and make eye contact with the person you are meeting and maintain it for more than a second – this makes for a good ice breaker and set the atmosphere for friendly and pleasant interchange.
• Your mood: If you are not in a good mood at the moment when you are making your first impression, fake a good mood – this might even actually change your mood for the better.
• Nervous: If you feel nervous, try to hide it by controlling your twitching, fidgeting, jittering, or whatever habit you may have that conveys anxiety. Remember – no one expects you know everything, so slow down, relax, be open-minded, be co-operative, listen, ask questions, communicate openly or let the others do the talking.
• Positive attitude: Having and expressing a positive attitude and displaying enthusiasm to everyone you interact with always works.
• Take initiative: Take the initiative to introduce yourself to others, even if you don’t know what to expect. Whatever you do, don’t just sit there waiting for someone to notice you – rather be proactive – find someone to meet and talk to them. Others will appreciate the effort you made to connect and you will make an immediate strong impression on them.
• Focus on others: Demonstrate immediately that the other person is your centre of attention and conversation. Smile, fully facing others, and lean toward them as they talk – spotlight them. Compliment them with sincerity but do not overdo it.
• What is a bore?: When a person talks about themselves non-stop, they are by definition a bore, while they most likely think they are captivating others with their life story. Others would probably be sure to avoid his/her company in future. Most people enjoy being found interesting, funny or insightful, more than to be interested, amused, or informed by someone else.
• Interrupting: Never interrupt someone or complete people’s sentences for them.
• Listening skills: You’ll make a superb initial impression when you demonstrate good listening skills.
  Listen, listen, listen!
  • Give cues: Give positive verbal cues: Hmmm… interesting! Tell me more, please. What happened next? Your conversational partner will welcome your assistance in keeping the exchange going.
  • Questions: Focus on opinions and feelings by asking follow-up questions about people’s remarks.
  • Explore: Draw others out and encourage people to join the conversation. Offer a variety of topics and try to zone in on common experiences, passions or interests.
  • Small talk: Share observations about everyday life. Keep to the enjoyable side of things, rather than dwelling on the annoyances of life.
  • Eye contact: Offer full attention and look everyone you meet straight in the eye. Skilled listeners maintaining steady eye contact.
• Use names: Use the name of a new acquaintance frequently:
  • Learn quick: Show that you have paid attention from the start, catching the name during the introduction.
  • Personal: Make conversations more personal by including the listener’s name several times.
  • Forgot?: If you forgot a person’s name, simply apologise and ask their name again.
  • Example: Judy, I love that idea – or – that must have been very exciting, Tom.
• Handshake: Smile and make eye contact as you give a firm handshake.
• Humor: A quip or two might serve as a great icebreaker, but use humor with care, because you don’t know a stranger’s sensitivities and you might establish barriers you can’t overcome. Sarcastic remarks also have a tendency to backfire. You may be willing to mention some of your own vulnerabilities and laugh at yourself within reason.
• Facial expression: Smile often and display animation in facial expression.
• Gestures: Gesture naturally in sync with what you are saying, without canning your movements.
• Speaking style: Speak skillfully, confidently, convincingly and enunciate clearly so you’re easily heard. Put energy in your voice and alter your pitch to avoid the dullness of a monotone. Keep the example of My Fair Lady in mind. When saying your name, say it slowly and clearly.
• What you say: Listeners judge our intelligence, culture, educational level and even leadership ability by the words we select and by how we say them.
• Gossip: Do not solicit any rumors and gossip around the office.
• Need to be right: At least at the start, focus on positive comments, not criticisms, complaints or indulging in the need to be right. Wait before you challenge another’s statements until you have established rapport and credibility with him/her.
• Personal business: There is a certain unofficial grace-period for doing some personal business at work, but keep it to an absolute minimum.
• On time: When you have an appointment to meet someone, have the address of the meeting place and phone number of the person. Know how to get there and how long the meeting will take. Don’t arrive too early or too late.
• Prepare: When preparation is required, you will make a much stronger impression by doing your homework than by just winging it. Know the names of everyone you are
  meeting and how to pronounce them and any other information required.
• Find a mentor: A mentor is a great sounding board and will help you become an expert in your field, as well as provide advance on your career within the business.
• Skill up: Once you have identified areas for improvement, ask friends to help you, read up or do a course on image development, communication, business etiquette and protocol skills – be resourceful and enjoy the process! Now is the time to research some of the neat memory-aid tricks you can use to remember people’s names.
• Network: You can network at various occasions – by joining network groups or by taking classes to improve your skills. Take every opportunity to network with people in your business and industry. Attend meetings, conferences, trade shows – every opportunity to make new acquaintances and keep your ears open. This will extend your network, which you have to constantly grow and manage. Career changes happen much more frequently these days and a solid network or contacts is invaluable.
• Team spirit: When working with others, show loyalty, focus on sharing recognition and give credit your co-workers.
• Show appreciation: Show genuine appreciation to anyone who has helped you.

Real world impressions

• Individual preference: You can’t be all things to all people. While you may intrigue some – you may disenchant others. Find the right balance that works for you.
  • Respected: If you appear to be of higher business or social status, you are admired and cultivated as a valuable contact.
  • Suitable: If you appear to be of comparable business or social level, you are considered suitable for further interaction.
  • Held at arm’s length: If you appear to be of lower business or social standing, you are tolerated but kept at arm’s length.
• Perfectly groomed: Perfectly groomed is perceived as efficient and reliable in work, even though after a while, people realise these things do not necessarily correspond.
• Matching culture : If you are in an interview situation, you can either appear to match the corporate culture or not, ultimately affecting the outcome.
• Dressed messages: If you are dressed business-like, it could say: “Meeting you calls for me to present a business-like appearance”
• Slacking at work: There’s nothing that can affect your reputation faster than routinely coming into work late, taking too long breaks or leaving work early. Be on time, come in early, stay a little later – be dedicated and flexible.
• Opening lines: People give more weight to their early information than to later information, so be your most charming at the beginning of the conversation.
• In-betweeners: Candidates for interviews have killed their chances by acting inappropriately before or after the actual interview, when they thought no-one was observing them.
• Presentations: Make the best possible first impression and once your three-second evaluation is over, the content of your speech will not change that impression – you will have your audience in the palm of your hand.
• Services: It pays to pay attention to your image if you provide a service – every face-to-face contact you make reflects upon your service and your business image that draws repeat and new business.
• Promotion opportunities: Business promotion does not take care of itself – you are your business and your business image is, in large part, your image and how you and your staff present yourselves. Wherever you go and whatever you do reflects upon your business and is a business promotion opportunity.
• Credibility: As a business owner, you want to ensure that everyone who meets you forms a positive first impression and that impression would then lend credibility to your business. These impressions turn into long-term perceptions on future potential, your reputations and having confidence in your business. Appearance and behaviour of each staff member is a representation of a business.
• Knowledgeable: If you cannot remember details, then take notes – it would create a great impression if you always know what’s you where supposed to know or more.
• Taken seriously: People will take you as seriously as you seem to take yourself and your work.
• Referrals and testimonials: As you create a positive business image, it guarantees that you will get excellent word-of-mouth referrals, positive client testimonials and letters of reference on request.

  read more on www.self-educate.com

Facilitating meetings

At the heart of successful meetings is the aim to inspire the most positive collaboration towards the best possible action for everyone involved.

Ever sat through a meeting that was dull, unproductive, disorganised with tempers running high, people talking
over each other and no decisions being made? Or one person dominating the whole meeting and
making all the decisions, leaving you to wonder why you bothered turning up? Another common complaint is that, although there is a lot of discussion, few concrete results emerge. Most of us can
manage sitting through such a meeting for a couple of times, but then start finding excuses not to go
anymore. These patterns are very common, which lead to disappointment, frustration, ineffectiveness
and loss of group members.

Any meeting can be efficiently run, inspiring, energising and fun. Unfortunately, it doesn’t just happen. Meetings should be enjoyable, efficient, and build group morale. Usually the most enjoyable meetings are also the ones that are the most efficient and productive.

Facilitating great meetings is a challenging task and requires enormous creativity, judgment, innovation and effort. In light of the time, energy and resources expended, it’s crucial to make the most of meetings. A good meeting gets work done and also involves, supports and empowers the participants, creating
a high level of energy and enthusiasm – a sense of community
and connection to fellow group members is the basis for
successful group work.

These ideas will help in making any type of meeting more successful.

Purpose of meetings

Meetings provide opportunities for:

• Generally: Meetings are generally called for planning, reporting and
  decision making purposes.
• Collaboration: Meetings are an essential
  link between group members for working together smoothly.
• Coordination: Meetings improve planning and coordination of group activities.
• Knowledge: Members need to be updated periodically on current events, business strategies, marketing direction and product knowledge.
• Innovation: Meetings create an opportunity for brainstorming.
• Motivation: Motivational speakers can boost morale of the group.
• Enthusiasm: Enhance members’ enthusiasm by inviting them to participate in decisions that affect them.
• Best practices: Members get a chance to share information, discuss and evaluate best practices.
• Decisions: Meetings allow groups to pull resources together for deciding how to get things done.
• Problem solving: Members identify solutions to any
  challenges they may be facing by bringing a wide variety of voices to bear on the issue.
• Goal setting: Goals and objectives can be set, discussed and evaluated.
• Training: Meetings can involve mentoring and learning new skills to improve job performance and efficiency.
• Requirements: Members are informed about business requirements.
• Questions: Members get an opportunity to ask questions.
• Team-building: Meeting activities could develop a sense of camaraderie in the group working toward the same mission – it is an opportunity to appreciate and value one another’s work.
• Social networking: Meetings can create a sense of connectedness and are opportunities to participate, interact, socialise and network within the group.
• Celebration: Combine meetings with celebrations of successes and special occasions, like meeting goals, birthdays, anniversaries etc.
• Awards ceremony: Introduce a meeting which includes an awards ceremony and give it an inspirational name, such as: The Top Performers Awards, or 2007 Achievers’ Club,
  or Hot Dogs.
• Group traditions: Meetings could establish group traditions or themes that become a group meeting identity.
• Acknowledgement: Achievers can openly receive recognition, incentives, rewards, awards and gifts.
• Fun: Last, but not the least, meetings should be an enjoyable respite from day-to-day duties, a time to just wind down and get to know others in the group better.

Facilitator role

• Facilitation: “Facilitation is the act of assisting or making easier the progress or improvement of something.”
• Meeting facilitator: Being a good facilitator is both a skill and an art in content and style, which one can improve with practice. Developing savvy meeting facilitators in your business is an investment in business success.
• Becoming a facilitator: Everyone can learn to be a facilitator. Facilitation skills are useful in many situations! Learn from own experience of bad meetings as well as good ones and observe other facilitators. The role of meetings facilitators could be rotated amongst members of a group, so that each member can develop facilitation skills. Mentor a few junior members to become meeting facilitators.
• Make easier: Facilitation is to help create a space that is comfortable and productive for a group. It doesn’t mean to lead, control, or direct.
• Essential role: A facilitator role is an important and pivotal role in having meetings, discussions, and events of all sorts run smoothly and efficiently.
• Preparation: Facilitators do their homework so they are informed enough to participate fully in any discussion with energy and attention for the job at hand – understanding the tasks for the meeting as well as long-term goals of the group.
• Agreements: The facilitator has to use various methods to make the group aware that they are making contracts/agreements with each other through these discussions and what the exact nature of those agreements are.
• Designing an agenda: The facilitator must be able to design a strategically arranged agenda, to get the most value out of the members’ time.
• Background materials: Ensure that all background materials and reports are sent out ahead of time and are read before the meeting. The facilitator can create committees to help with time-consuming detail preparations.
• Clarify agenda: The facilitator makes sure that all members understand the purpose of the meetings and the reason for agenda items. Each member should be able to answer the question – what are we going to resolve or accomplish in this meeting?
• Meeting process: The facilitator sees that all recommendations are moved, voted upon and recorded.
• Positivity: The facilitator displays confidence that good solutions will be found and consensus can be achieved.
• Meeting success: The facilitator orchestrates the group to reach the meeting objectives – the success of the meeting is the mutual responsibility of the whole group.
• Atmosphere: The facilitator creates a safe and empowering atmosphere without domineering, interrupting, over-talking, put-downs or guilt trips.
• Non-opinionated: The facilitator should preferably be a member who doesn’t have a strong opinion on the meeting’s topics.
• Neutral: A facilitator should have little emotional investment in the issues discussed and help the members of the meeting be aware that it is their meeting being conducted.
• Respect: The facilitator has to respect all members and what each has to offer – this creates a space where shy people are comfortable enough to speak, and where people who tend to dominate a discussion feel compelled to defer to others in the group.
• Protect everyone’s rights: The facilitator is the protector of the weak and does not allow domineering people to ridicule others’ ideas or to embarrass them in any fashion.
• Assertiveness: The facilitator has to know when to intervene decisively and give some direction to the meeting. Challenge put-downs and discriminatory remarks.
• Manipulation: If it becomes hard for the facilitator to avoid manipulating the meeting towards a particular outcome, it is best to step out of role and let someone else facilitate.
• Role model: The facilitator is a role model by displaying excellent listening skills, showing interest, appreciation and confidence in members.
• Listening skills: The facilitator has to be a role model by displaying excellent listening skills including strategic questioning to be able to understand everyone’s viewpoint properly. It is also important to observe members’ body language, understanding members’ emotions, and understanding everyone’s view point properly. The facilitator has to show interest, appreciation and confidence in what each member has to offer.
• Group functions: The facilitator does not take on any of the functions that are the responsibility of the group as a whole, such as decision making.
• Experienced: For a meeting with more than 10 people, an experienced facilitator should be designated to facilitate the meeting.
• Gain insight: The facilitator tries to understand and gain some insight on how group behaviours are influenced by both positive and negative individual patterns, and past experiences.

• Encourage participation: As a facilitator, you should encourage everyone to present their viewpoints – especially when they may be conflicting. The facilitator uses techniques to help everyone to participate, drawing out withdrawn, quiet or shy members to speak and helping members interact in a controlled environment to get the best possible contribution from everyone. Useful techniques to equalise participation are talking sticks or breaking into small groups. Encourage members to listen to others, by setting an example.

• Focus: The facilitator regulates the flow of discussion towards its aims and discourages sidebar conversations or hogging of the discussion.
• Means of discussion: Ensure the members are using the most effective means of discussion to reach decisions. Facilitators aim to get all members’ points of view and ideas while staying focussed on the topic. Good facilitators ensure that they don’t use their role to dominate the discussion.
  There is a variety of tools available to get the most out of the voices in the room:
  • Signalling: Utilising signalling helps everyone in the meeting to understand where members stand about a topic, rather than being distracted by attitudes of a some aggressive members. It is also a way for people to comment without having to disrupt the meeting. When everyone is willing to use them, they can save a lot of time, help the meeting run much more efficiently, and encourage everyone to actively participate.
    Ask everyone to use hand signals:
    • Silent Cheer/Twinkle: Silent cheer to indicate agreement – hold up your hand and wiggle your fingers in the air.
    • Confusion: Arms out, bent and hands outstretched.
    • Focus/Get to the point: This signal is used when people aren’t sticking to the agenda. Bring your hands together in a ‘V’ shape – hands can then be moved back and forth.
    • Jargon: This is used when a member refers to things you haven’t heard of, especially if you think others haven’t heard of them either. Throw up your hands with palms upside down.
  • Decision process: Help the group decide on a decision making process and help the group to maintain focus until decisions are reached. The facilitator will then formalise the group’s decisions.
  • Excitement sharing: People share something good or exciting that has happened to them recently or since the last meeting. Good at start of meetings as it creates a lot

    of positive energy and puts people more in touch with each other’s lives.

  • Brainstorming: Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique to quickly gather a large number of ideas. Start by stating the issue and ask members to say or write down whatever comes to mind
    without censoring it. Collect and combine all ideas in a list for later discussion. This frees energy and encourages creativity.
  • Go-rounds: Use a go-round to make everyone heard. Go-rounds: Everyone takes a turn to speak without interruption or comment from other people. Go-rounds help in gathering opinions, feelings and ideas, as well as
    slowing down the discussion and improving listening. Make sure that everyone gets a chance to speak.
  • Small groups: Time-limited discussions are held in smaller groups: small break-out groups to generate lots of ideas quickly, or basic popcorn discussions to start things off.
  • Summarise: The facilitator will regularly clarify and summarise points to help discussions along.
  • Consensus: Clarify disagreements by periodically testing for consensus. State the tentative consensus in question form and be specific. If you are not clear how to phrase the question ask members to help. Insist on a response/signal from every participant.
  • Stand aside: When one or two people are blocking consensus, ask if
    they are prepared to stand aside, to allow the group
    to proceed with the action. This means they will not be
    involved in the decision and its consequences. This lack of consensus
    will be recorded in the meeting minutes, and that they are not
    expected to carry out the decision.
  • Turn to person next to you: Turn to the person next to you and discuss a particular topic. This method gets discussions going in no time.
  • Postpone decisions: Propose a break or silence or postponing the decision
    to give people time to cool down and reflect. If the
    decision is postponed it is often a good idea to
    engage conflicting parties in conflict resolution
    before the issue is brought up again. Let people cool down first.
  • Negative statement: When there is time pressure or the group has lapsed into nit-picking, it can help to state the perceived agreement in the negative: Is there anyone who does not agree that …?
  • No agreement: When no agreement can be reached, try asking those disagreeing for alternative proposals.
  • Talking stick: People may speak only when they hold the talking stick. This makes people conscious of when they interrupt others.
• Suspicion: Be suspicious of agreements reached too easily – test to make sure that members really are fully supportive of the decision and do agree on essential points.
• Call on speaker: Regulate the flow of discussion by calling on speakers.
• Tension breaker: During intense or tiring situations try humour, affirmation, games, changing seats, silence, a group nap, etc, to alleviate the tension. Some group might rebel at the suggestion of ‘wasting time’ on a game, but will welcome a stretch break or informal hilarity.
• Dominating / over-talking: If one member regularly over-talks and it becomes a problem, then it should be discussed with them in private to find other ways to capture their interest and concern without having them continue to dominate meetings. The facilitator could also use techniques to equalise discussions.
• Formulate hesitation: Listen carefully for agreements and concerns. When a decision cannot be made, state points of agreement and of hesitancy. Find out where worries come from, so that they can be resolved or new proposals drawn up
  that take them into account.
• Formulate consensus: The facilitator is responsible for moving the discussion forward when the group discusses items longer than needed, and that are basically already in agreement. In this case, formulate a consensus position, or ask someone in the group to formulate a position that reflects the group’s general position and then move on.
• Conflict resolution: The facilitator will help the group deal with and resolve conflict if the group just cannot agree and will tactfully end discussions that become destructive, or gets too heated. It is a very important responsibility to change the direction of discussions.
• Decision making: Decisions on action steps include what, how, who, when and where. Keep the group focussed on one item at a time until a decision has been reached, even if the decision is to shelve it for some other time.
• Parking lot: When the group wander off far from the original agenda, bring it to the group’s attention, record them in a parking lot to be addressed later. A parking lot is a section in the agenda where items are stored for future consideration.
• Focus balance: Strike a balance between encouraging full discussion and keeping the conversation focussed. Some far-off issues may be so important that you have to alter the agenda to discuss them first. It may be a good idea to ask for a break to discuss this with the group leaders. Other items may have to be dropped off the agenda if necessary.
• State and restate: Clarify proposals put forward stating and restating the position of the meeting as it appears to be emerging until agreement is reached.
• Delegate: When over-detailed decision making is getting too time consuming, suggest that the issues be decided by a committee at another meeting. This is also important to do when there are more important issues to discuss. “
• Challenge to action: Focus the discussion on challenging members to take effective actions to build the business, cleanly identifying action items on the agenda.
• Seek commitments: It is the goal of some agenda items to get commitment, so allocate adequate time for seeking commitment. The facilitator can seize the moment to get members committed to certain tasks, goals and future involvement. These are recorded into the meeting minutes. Everyone should leave the meeting with a commitment for taking action.
• Silence: Silence is good sometimes, to give members a chance to reflect and think things over. Also, do not mistake silence for consent.
• Caution: Don’t ask members for input on an issue that has been decided – nothing is more disempowering.
• Off-topic discussions: The facilitator cuts off unproductive sidebar conversations or discussions that are going in circles.
• Basic courtesies: Facilitators ensure that basic courtesies and meeting rules are followed.
• Criticism: Never criticise individual group members about their job performance in front of others. Schedule individual meetings to discuss performance if necessary.
• Discrimination: Facilitators should not allow people with race, class, gender, or any subtle or non-subtle privilege to dominate a meeting.
• Time keeping: It must be ensured that the meeting is carried out within the designated time. The facilitator inspires all members to be more responsible for the progress of the meeting, and keep to the schedule.
• Co-facilitators: Co-facilitators can make the job of the facilitator easier. Each facilitator can get a chance to participate in the discussion, have a break, or get back-up during conflict or confusion. Co-facilitators can also help the facilitator keep track of who wishes to speak.
• Attendance: In the interest of common courtesy, members confirm their attendance or absence with the facilitator.
• Mistakes: A facilitator has to admit and learn from mistakes made and ask for help when overwhelmed.

Meeting rules

Most groups need some basic rules of order for meetings. If you choose to use a formal system, such as Robert’s Rules of Order or a consensus based model, make sure that everyone understands how to use them. The facilitator and members can also decide on their own guidelines prior to the meeting on what the rules and boundaries of the meeting will be. Outline what behaviour is acceptable/not acceptable in meetings:

• The time frame will be explained and everyone agrees to adhere to it.
• It is agreed that discussions will be focussed on the subject and aims of the meeting.
• One person may speak at a time.
• Non-sexist/racist language.
• No dominating/threatening behaviour.
• The meeting could be declared a no whining zone.
• Guidelines:

  Who may recognise a speaker?
  How is a time limit for a topic set?
  How are discussions initiated or motions made?
  How is voting done?
  How are disagreements settled?
  If something is not on the agenda, how will it be handled?

  If a motion fails, can it be discussed again?
  If strict parliamentary procedure is used, how are members trained in its use?

• Over-talking: Those who talk easily in group settings will make an effort to speak less, trusting that their point will be made by someone else.
• Quiet/withdrawn: Those who are quiet or withdrawn will make an effort to speak more often, helping everyone to feel more comfortable.
• Solution orientation: The group may decide to forbid any problems being raised without a solution – this will help members understand that they must be solution-oriented.
• Involvement: If your meeting is for fifty people or less, make it a rule that everyone has to answer a question or voice their opinion at least once.

Meeting preparation checklist

• Create value: Aim to create as much value as possible for the investment of each member’s time. Respect people’s time as their most valuable resource.
• Innovate: Develop your own innovative meeting tactics to make your meeting fun and interesting! Try out non-traditional ways of doing things, unexpected venues and at unusual times that would get the best out of everyone.
• Roles: Designate other members to cover the roles of minute-taker, vibes watcher and time keeper. At minimum, a minute-taker and a time keeper is required.
  • Time Keeper: The time keeper pushes the group to stick to time limits by signalling or saying how much time is left for the current agenda item. Usually they mention 20 minutes left, 10, 5, etc. If the group has run out of time they have to make a concerted decision to extend the discussion/agenda item and set a time limit for how much longer it wants to take.
  • Stack keeper: The stack keeper makes a list of people raising their hands who wants to speak. This is very helpful in a complicated discussion involving a large group. When the stack keeper nods to the member, they know they are on the stack and can put their hand down. The stack keeper can call on just the next person or call a shortlist of up to 5 names.
  • Scribe: The scribe takes on a large sheet or white board for everyone to refer to – this is particularly useful for brainstorming, discussions, announcements and proposals and enables everyone to refer to these notes. Good points which are lost in discussions will not go unnoticed.
  • Minute taker: The minute taker records the official notes relevant to the goals of the meeting. It is written as headings with short bulleted points. Minute-takers must be able to take clear, understandable notes. These are kept in the group’s archives for the future and reflect what was done, all the main motions, a summary of the discussions, assignments taken on, report on actions taken, summary of reports given. Meeting minutes are used as reference of best practices and as legal agreements. Meeting notes must preferably be sent out the same day as the meeting, so that members can review their tasks, especially those who missed the meeting. The minute taker keeps track of decisions, takes
    minutes, collects reports, and draws attention to
    incomplete items on the agenda. If something really funny happened, it could also be included. One could also videotape the meeting for record purposes.
  • Coordinator: The coordinator is essential for large meetings, to gather
    people for starting on time and is responsible for the venue, seating, equipment,
    refreshments and notices.
  • Vibes watcher: The vibes watcher remedies situations of conflict and
    distress by calling for short breaks/stretching, by
    taking the role of an intermediary, by taking time out with
    someone and listening to them or by bringing it to the group’s attention that injustices has been observed.
    • The vibes watcher monitors the emotional atmosphere and needs to be able to sense underlying feelings, listen carefully and read body language.
    • Tune into how members are feeling and what the opinions and interest levels are.
    • Look after how individual members are affected.
    • Ensures that no one is being ignored or personally attacked.
    • Checks energy levels – has to notice if people are getting sleepy.
    • Must observe when members get too unhappy or restless to make decisions.
    • Must assess whether aims are being fulfilled.
  • Alternate facilitator: Find an alternative facilitator who can step in should
    there be an emergency, or if the main facilitator
    tires or wants to participate more actively in
    discussion.
• Purpose: Be clear about ‘why’ the meeting is held. Define its purpose, objectives, goals, and strategy.
• Agenda: Use headings and short bulleted sentences to outline the agenda.
  Set time limits for each agenda item:
  • Start early: Start putting together the agenda for the next meeting as soon as possible.
  • Member input: Request input from member on what to include in the agenda and on specific decisions that affect them.
  • Member survey: Survey some of the members to find out what they like and dislike, want and don’t want.
    • Issues list: Create an issues list from the particular issues members want to discuss.
    • Interests: List topics that members want or need to learn more about, or speakers they’ve been wanting to hear.
  • Ice-breaking: Plan something to gather the group at the start the meeting with a process to make your members feel special and build cohesion such as team-building exercises, introductions, announcements, games or excitement sharing.
  • Juicy activity: Include something juicy that will engage, empower and uplift the entire group.
  • Reflection: Provide an opportunity for members to share their thoughts on what the group has done well and to admit mistakes.
  • content balance: One could use a 80/20 rule, where 80% of the agenda is future orientated in discussion, debate and decision making and 20% focussed on reports that help you make long term decisions.
  • Anticipated action: Each agenda item could have an anticipated action connected to it, in order to promote an action orientation for the meeting.
  • Duration balance: Alternate short and long discussions. Think about effective processes/tools for difficult or controversial topics. Deal with difficult items after the group has warmed up but before they are is tired. Think about priorities for this meeting. Which items could be tackled another time or in smaller groups?
  • Relevance: Share information with all members about everything that is impacting the group’s work. Avoid topics that are only relevant to a portion of the group; instead use a smaller meeting for this purpose.
  • Short breaks: Build in plenty of short strategic 5-15 minute breaks to provide rest and relief from taxing discussions at least every hour so people will remain engaged and comfortable. When the breaks are announced, ask members to be accountable to come back on time.
  • Evaluation: Plan in time for an evaluation of the meeting near the end.
  • Reports: Request brief reports on the most important activities that are important for the rest of the group to know about.
• Distribute agenda: Distribute the agenda and circulate background material, lengthy documents or articles prior to the meeting so members will be prepared and feel involved and up-to-date.
• Brainstorm: Select a few creative members to assist in brainstorming creative ideas for the meeting and help you stay focused on what the group needs and wants in a meeting, and how to make the most of their time and make it as effortless and enjoyable as possible.
• Target: Keep the unique group culture in mind and adjust activities to best suit the target group.
• Theme: Use the group’s company slogan or an exciting punch line for the meeting. You can obtain resources for meeting themes plus many additional ideas at www.bizmotivation.com.
• Location: Consider your objectives, length of the meeting and your budget. Site visit: Make sure the venue the right size for the group. Choose a meeting space your people will enjoy:
  • On-site:
  • Local off-site venue: You could select a hotel conference room, a restaurant.
  • Out of town: If your budget will allow it, consider a resort, ’cause most people love resorts. Most resorts offer enjoyable relaxation options such as swimming, golf, and other activities your employees would enjoy.
  • Variety: Variety is key in keeping meetings interesting and will ensure that you accommodate the variety of members’ tastes. A meeting could be held at your ad agency, or even in the back room of the R&D department. Be creative.
  • Selection: If you do, ask for a formal presentation, check their qualifications and get references.

• Venue set-up: Set up the venue so that members face each other to create a sense of closeness that will enhance intimacy, communication and participation.
  • Circle or semi-circle: For small groups, round tables are best for interaction because they allow everyone to see each other.
  • Half-moon seating: For large groups, meetings can be held in a theatre or classroom setting. Arrange the seating in an inclusive half-moon or semi-circle-shaped rows.
  • No seats! It might even be useful to arrange seating on big cushions on the floor, then there are no seating arrangement and people choose their own positions.
  • Podium/platform: Another important rule of thumb is to always place your platform and podium on the long wall, if the room is long and narrow – to improve speaker/audience connection.
  • Room size: Small rooms with too many people get stuffy and create tension. A larger room is more comfortable and encourages individual expression. A room that is too large may encourage members to daydream or become isolated from discussion.
  • Decor: Make sure your room environment is stimulating and helps to create the mood for the meeting. Decorate the room with visual aids like acronym charts, inspirational posters, diagrams or accents with your theme to make sure the room has ambience. Post a large agenda up front to which members can refer.
  • Conditions: Make sure the room is comfortable! Not too hot or cold or crowded. Be aware of air quality, ability to hear and see, insulation from noise, bathrooms, and windows.
  • Special needs: Consider any special needs participants might have and how to cater for them.
  • Music: Play nice upbeat music as members enter the room and during breaks. Consider Mozart or New Age music for higher management. Music can also be played as someone walks up to the podium.
• Materials: Gather materials needed for the meeting, e.g. pens, marker pens, flipcharts, written presentations and proposals.
• Food: Avoid serving any food that are high in carbohydrates, like cake or lasagne – it will make the group sleepy. Rather serve protein, fruit and vegetables. The carbs are okay for afterwards.
• Outsource: If you begin to feel overwhelmed, consider engaging the services of an experienced meeting planner. Often, they can help you save money and their experience can be invaluable.
• Guest speakers: Guest speakers make the difference between a good meeting and a great meeting, so choose wisely.
• Meeting time: Choose an appropriate meeting time. Create a time limit. Consider other commitments of members.
• Invites: Ensure that everyone knows where and when the next meeting will be held. Make sure all members who have the power to decide, and the ones who will implement the decisions are present. Send an e-mail invitation to each attendee. Let all members know about the meeting. Don’t rely on only one method of contact. Use the phone, e-mail, snail-mail, word-of-mouth, notice boards, SMS and/or memos to notify members.
• Reminders: Remind everyone who needs to be there more than once, including once the
  day before the meeting.
• Promote: It’s never too early to promote.
  A meeting is only successful if it is well promoted. Be creative and
  systematic with your promotion. Get people pumped up prior to
  the event by promoting it as if they had to make the decision to
  pay money to attend. Include graphics with your theme on the invitation.
• Customers: On occasion, and if appropriate, invite a few customers to attend a meeting
  and explain why he or she buys from you and, most important, what they
  want, need and expect by doing business with the group, or videotape a few of your customers prior to your
  program.
• Agenda and material: Distribute the agenda and background material ahead of time so members will be
  prepared and feel involved.
• Gifts: On occasion, give each member a surprise gift. The gift could be
  waiting at their seat after the break. For example, you could purchase one lottery ticket for every member or have a lottery for the meeting with three great prizes. Give gifts throughout the meeting to keep it interesting and fun. The energy level in the room could be increased by 100%!

During meetings

• Checking: Make sure you can get into the meeting room early. Check that you have the right amount of chairs and that there is proper signage to direct members to the meeting room. Check the lighting, sound, etc.

• Time management: The facilitator, coordinator and/or time keeper have to manage time and the process of the meeting. The goal is to start and end on time.

• Refreshments: If possible, serve beverages and light refreshments such as cookies or fruit – they are good icebreakers and make members feel special and comfortable.
• Name tags: Provide name tags for everyone, at every meeting. It’s a great help to be reminded what someone’s name is, when it’s hard to admit you don’t know their names.
• Start time: Ensure that smaller meetings start exactly on time, respecting the time of those who were on time. For very large meetings, plan to start 10-15 minutes before the official start time.
• Welcome: Greet members and make everyone feel welcome and listened to at the beginning of a meeting, and do not bemoan late members or absentees.
• Meeting rules: Announce meeting rules that are particularly apt for this meeting.
• Agenda: Review the agenda so that the group understands priorities for the meeting. State the intention to stick to the agenda and to keep conversation focused on the topic and ask if there are any items to add. Go through the agenda item by item.
• Breaks: A 5-15 minute break every hour should suffice. Even a quick stretch can lighten the mood and make everyone
  more productive.
• Ice-breaker: Ask someone to think up a juicy ice-breaker a few minutes before the meeting and use it during your opening go-around.
• Introductions: In smaller sized groups, ask each member to introduce themselves and encourage them to share more than just their names.
• Regulate discussion as outlined earlier.
• Participation: Set a tone for equal participation between the group and the facilitator. Make participants feel comfortable and appreciated.
• Enjoyable: The facilitator must ensure that decisions made, plans developed, and commitments made, are done in a manner that is enjoyable for everyone in the group.
• Manipulation: Avoid manipulating the meeting towards a particular outcome. If this becomes difficult, step out of role and let someone else facilitate.
• Acknowledgement: In the meeting, be sure to recognise work well done, especially committee work.
• Feedback: Encourage feedback. Ideas, activities and commitment to the organisation improve when members see their impact on the decision making process.
• All perspectives: Encourage group discussion to get all points of view and ideas. You will have better quality decisions
  as well as highly-motivated members; they will feel that attending meetings is worth their
  while.
• Q&A: A meeting is the ideal place for Q&A sessions between divisions of the group. Let them know about the Q&A session early on in the meeting and to write down questions on an index card. Collect the cards in time to hand them to volunteers who would then answer these questions. The facilitator has to keep a close eye on proceedings.
• Minutes: Keep minutes of the meeting for future reference in case a question arises or some members
  are not in attendance.
• Summary: Summarise agreements reached.
• Running long: If you must go longer, the facilitator should make sure everyone is alright with adding extra time onto the
  meeting. If people aren’t okay with it, the discussion should be tabled until a later date. If using
  consensus decision making make an allowance for extra
  time to go deeper into the issue if necessary.
• Agenda review: Find out from members if the agenda was adequate – discuss with the group how or when the issue can be addressed effectively. Revisit your goals to see how well these meetings are fulfilling members’ needs and make adjustments. Write down what went
  right, what went wrong, and what you would do differently when you plan the next meeting.
• Evaluation: Member feedback will give you great insight into how members have received the meeting. Use this feedback as a guide for future meetings. Bounce specific feedback received off other members in surveys to gain more perspectives – someone may suggest something otherwise overlooked!
• Schedule next meeting: Set a date, time, place and assign roles for the next meeting.
• Positive end note: Always end the meeting on a unifying or positive note,
  provide satisfying
  closure:
  • Sum up the meeting. Spend a few short minutes recapping your plan of action at the end of the meeting. Did you meet your goals?
    What are the next steps? Who’s doing what?
  • Use affirmation and appreciation to thank everyone for making the meeting a success.
  • Thank people who prepared things for the meeting, set up the room, brought refreshments or typed up the agenda.
  • Comment on
    special contributions of members and accomplishments
    of the group.
  • Encourage individuals to pursue projects or ideas.
  • Remind everyone to read the meeting minutes.
  • Reiterate the business’s mission.
  • End the meeting on time.

Meeting follow through

• Minutes of meetings:
  • Prepare minutes: The minute taker must prepare the minutes on the same day, after the meeting to prevent errors of memory.
  • Memorandum: Once the minutes are prepared, distribute them within one day to reinforce the importance of the meeting.
  • Follow-up: Diarise dates and relevant reminder notes when to inquire about how agreed tasks are progressing. Makes sure that responsibilities are clearly understood and duties carried out.
  • Legal records: Store a copy of the minutes where the group legal documents are kept. Minutes of meetings are legal records of agreements and decisions of the group, and may be reviewed as part of the annual audits.
• Reports: Tasks agreed to be completed have to be accomplished and progress reports prepared for the next meeting.
• Improvements: Discuss the meeting with members and note any areas that can be improved for more productive meetings.
• Absentees: You may want to analyse the recruitment plans after the meeting. Call members who missed the meeting. Tell them you missed them and update them on the meeting’s outcome.
• Action: Follow-up on delegation decisions. See that all members understand and carry out their responsibilities.
• Appreciation: Give thanks, recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress. Write a thank you e-mail to everyone who assisted you in making your meeting successful.
• Unfinished business: Any unfinished business is put on the agenda for the next meeting.

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