7 Communication Tips for Productive Meetings
Meetings can be productive or painful. Exorbitant amounts of time are wasted in meetings that are poorly planned, managed and executed. To many people, meetings are the equivalent of a sleeping pill.
Here are 7 tips to help your meetings run more efficiently. Notice they are all based on communication.
1. Plan an agenda and stick to it. Everyone should know the purpose before they enter the room.
2. Schedule 30-minute meetings (ok, maximum 60 if it’s a big project). If it runs longer than an hour, you may not be properly prepared. Also, refer to #4.
3. Invite only the people who are directly involved with the project.
4. Stay on message. Appoint someone as the “moderator” to keep everyone on track and focused.
5. Assign “next steps” with deadlines to everyone so they have clear direction once the meeting concludes.
6. Agree on a convenient time for the next session before you leave.
7. Send a follow-up e-mail or written communication to all attendee’s summarizing the main points and “next steps.”
People will appreciate good use of their time when you are focused and productive. Stephen Sondheim said, “Everything depends upon execution; having just a vision is no solution.”
The Ice Cream Cone of Success
July is National Ice Cream Month. President Ronald Reagan made it an official observance in 1984, noting that 90% of people enjoy this fun and nutritious snack.
Let’s use ice cream as a metaphor for your life or business. Remember to think in the context of ice cream! Do these sound familiar?
1-You melt as soon as it gets too hot.
2-You see yourself as someone who easily gets licked!
3-You wait to get picked by someone else and find yourself competing with the other flavors. You may be sweet, but others are sweeter, better, more colorful, nuttier, more appealing, on and on.
4-You’re always in a container; surrounded by barriers.
5- When things get untidy, someone else has to clean up the mess.
6-You often feel like you are getting “eaten alive!”
7- You are secretly dying to be the famed “Flavor of the Month.”
You may want to use the month of August to assess your results and determine if it’s time to make a change.
Success is not about melting, being contained and being envious of the other flavors. It’s about running your own race.
In An Emergency, It’s Attitude, Survival…& Twitter
You may have heard today that a 26-year-old New York woman was caught in the midst of a bank robbery near Penn Station in Manhattan. Annemarie Dooling used her Blackberry and Twitter to send a string of 140-character messages. She’s now making news around the world. How is it that some people can remain calm during emergencies and others simply fall apart? It has to do with attitude.
Author Laurence Gonzales who wrote the book “Deep Survival” studied disasters like earthquakes, Tsunami’s, climbing accidents, and cyclones to learn about the survivors. Gonzalez dissects the psychological and spiritual transformations of people who seem to beat the odds. He has found that the survivors have several common traits.
They tend to:
• View themselves as survivors, not victims (they aren’t whiners)
• Get through the denial stage quickly and accept the situation
• Show humility and know what they are capable of
• Have strong family bonds and want to be reunited w/loved ones
• Ignore the rules and think independently
When two hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001, hundreds of workers were trapped in the towers. Gonzales says security told many of them to stay put and wait to be rescued. Most of the people who listened lost their lives. Those who ignored the announcements and didn’t wait were able to escape.
You don’t have to be buried in the rubble of an earthquake for three days to develop the traits of a survivor. Annemarie Dooling has the traits listed above. She said she was simply concerned about letting her family and friends know she was ok, so she Tweeted.
Can you imagine if Twitter was around when Jessie James and Bonnie & Clyde were alive?
Huge PR Window for You To Get Publicity
News tends to come to a screeching halt over the summer. State legislative sessions have ended, school is out, people are on vacations and the lazy, hazy days of summer prevail. This is an ideal time to develop and pitch stories. Even though business and government may be slower than usual, newspapers are still being printed and TV and radio stations still have on-air programming spots to fill.
You can help.
After spending 10 years in a busy radio newsroom, the summer months always had the same stories. Gas prices, family vacations, sunburn, barbecues, fireworks, pool safety, ideal bathing suits for not-so-ideal bodies, heat waves, and on and on. Do they sound familiar?
Consider this. Many stories that may seem weak or tough to pitch during a busy news cycle can easily grab the attention of a reporter during the slower holiday news cycle. July 4th weekend is upon us, and Labor Day is just around the corner.
Here are 3 quick and easy tips for getting coverage and publicity during long weekends:
1. Look at the calendar. This year, July 4th falls on a Saturday. If you send out your press release or pitch by Wednesday, July 1, the reporters can use it anytime between July 1 and July 7. The media is open 24/7. Your sleeper story on a busy news day could be a big headline over the extended weekend.
2. Keep it undated. If you have an “evergreen story” with no real date attached to it, that’s ideal for coverage over a long weekend and in slow news cycles.
3. Get creative! Stay away from the typical seasonal stories that reporters cover (listed above). Hard news and business stories are ideal for these time periods. Cause-related marketing is another good opportunity to shine. For example, most groups hustle for holiday food drives around Thanksgiving yet there are plenty of hungry people in July. Why not launch a food drive with your local United Way or soup kitchen? How about a summer mentoring program with local kids who can connect with businesses or volunteer programs? Human interest stories are always fun this time of year too. If you like to surf or go kayaking, invite a brave reporter to come along for a first time adventure.
Take advantage of this window of opportunity by planning ahead and getting creative. The reporters will appreciate your efforts and you can build critical relationships with them for future pitching and coverage.
The Failure in Resolutions
No need to stress over your New Years Resolutions. Whether you have made one or not, or have succeeded or failed in the past, don’t worry.
We don’t need New Year’s Resolutions to be successful. The word resolution means to resolve. The synonyms for the word resolve are: determination, steadfast, doggedness, tenacity and decide.
Day-to-day, it’s the word decide that keeps me moving forward toward my goals (resolutions.) I don’t need that magic second at midnight when the calendar page turns to January 1 to set a goal or resolve to do something. You can set your goals as I have, on April 4, June 28, September 17 or November 1. It all comes down to deciding. Once you consciously decide to do something, you automatically spring into action with momentum and energy. It doesn’t have to magically happen on December 31st.
At any given moment, we can set a goal, examine our attitudes, consider our tenacity (how bad do you want it?) and map out a plan for success. It’s all an inside mental job that takes root when you make up your mind with an unwavering commitment to succeed. You make a promise to yourself. Problems come up and you will solve them. Obstacles come up and you will go around them. People say you can’t and you run away from their poison.
Look back on anything you may have accomplished in your life and think about what motivated you and how you did it. It may be learning to ride a bicycle, understanding a new computer program or graduating from college. You succeeded because you made up your mind. This can happen at any on any day of the year.
Don’t pressure yourself to make a half-hearted resolution on December 31st that doesn’t have your absolute commitment and attention. Instead, find the right moment in your life when you have decided to make a promise to yourself…and keep it.
Articulating Your Message
I’ve spent a lot of time in November and December at networking events. I have observed all kinds of business and nonprofit professionals who want to promote their businesses and “be seen.” Most admitted they failed miserably because they’re unable to effectively communicate their message. Sound familiar?
Seems we’re all in search of that elusive, punchy sound bite that cuts through jargon and brings swells of hot leads, qualified prospects, wealthy donors and generous volunteers to our doorsteps.
Whether you’re trying to promote and publicize your own small business, a nonprofit, a huge corporation, or yourself, you must be able to convey a crisp, compelling and concise message. This certainly holds true in your Talking Points for media interviews, Facebook profiles, blogs and more.
What’s your message for the New Year? Spend some time re-working and re-wording your pitch and elevator speech.
Your 30-second sound bite should differentiate you from everyone else, especially your competition. Develop your own personal brand. It should be:
• Relevant
• Distinctive
• Valuable
• Memorable
Once you write a top-notch sound bite that focuses on outcomes for the listener, not your own accomplishments, make sure you can deliver it in a superior way. You should be able to articulate your message in a casual, friendly style that draws people to you. If you can’t, drop me an e-mail at admin@sueyoungmedia.com. I can be your “Virtual Coach” and help you craft and convey an outstanding commercial.
Throwing Shoes
It’s interesting to observe how people use their communication to express emotion. I’ve been studying and teaching verbal and nonverbal communication for 25 years. Often times, you never have to say a word to express your happiness or disgust in a certain situation; your facial expression, gestures, body language, physiology and actions will tell the true story of your emotions.
And so goes the tirade of journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a 28-year-old Shiite Arab journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. He apparently yelled in Arabic at Bush and then hurled his shoes across the packed room. Bush was able to duck but came close to getting nailed with each of the shoes.
According to the Associated Press, “showing the sole of your shoe to someone in the Arab world is a sign of extreme disrespect, and throwing your shoes is even worse.”
How do you handle highly charged emotions and situations? Do you flip someone the bird, scream and curse, throw things, or worse—turn violent and abusive?
Being aware of how you behave and what’s appropriate comes with maturity. It’s called Emotional Intelligence. It develops with age. People who experience different stresses and difficult situations learn from their experiences (and mistakes) and over time, develop Emotional Intelligence. It’s actually part of our brain function that doesn’t completely form until the age of 25. That’s why I’m often hired to teach EQ to college students. They need help in understanding and managing their reactions and communication.
Experts say that successful managers, leaders and business professionals have high levels of EQ. They can relate well to others. As we age, we become more empathetic, congenial, thoughtful, assertive and aware of our actions. Regardless of your age, EQ is a character trait that can be learned.
I don’t know if al-Zeidi had planned his outburst or if he acted on sheer impulse. He certainly got the attention of the world. To some people it’s negative attention; to others both in the US and abroad, he’s a hero. Politics aside, how do you rate his style of communication?
In the Business of Knowledge
The Star Ledger newspaper in New Jersey recently reported that President-elect Obama’s transition team has selected Rutgers University history professor Clement Price to help choose the next director of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
This may not be the biggest news of the day, but Price, had an amazing quote.
When interviewed, he explained, “The National Endowment for the Humanities is designed to promote knowledge and I’m in the knowledge business.”
Are you in the knowledge business? Are you the COE- Chief of Everything, or the CEO- Chief Executive Officer of your life? Maybe you take too much responsibility for everyone and everything. Maybe you’re the self-imposed “Mayor of the Universe.” Is that too lofty of a position for you? Too much pressure? Maybe you need to resign; to simplify your life? Maybe you need to change gears and shift your attitude.
The way to get into the knowledge business is to become a lifelong student of learning. It’s time for us to turn off poisonous newscasts filled with doom and gloom, the shallow reality shows that attract millions of viewers each week and the other things we fill our heads with that don’t help us grow and learn. Too many people are complaining about their mediocre lives. These are NOT people in the knowledge business. They are in the business of having their own never –ending “Pity Party.”
This week, I will bring my “Attitude Adjustment 101” program to the National Council on Student Leadership Conference (NCSL) for college students in Orlando Florida. I will talk about the eight steps needed to improve your attitude. These are all tools and strategies that people in the knowledge business tap into. They include goal setting, visualization, discipline, surround yourself with successful people and more. There’s no talk of
”Pity Parties” and Paul Abdul. There is talk of empowerment, success and knowledge.
Commit yourself to learning one new thing a day and actually applying it to your life. Who knows, you may soon find yourself in the business of knowledge.
Why We Need More BS
If you’re like me, work, business and family may feel a bit overwhelming at times. We are constantly bombarded with irrelevant information, messages, electronic gadgets, and now, unsettling news about our collective economic future. We have so many choices and decisions to make; so much information to decipher, decode and decide on. Whether it’s a new search engine project, budget cuts, or creating a new marketing plan, I keep hearing myself saying “It’s BS-take it slow; We need to take Baby Steps.”
This BS approach is especially important to people like me who like instant results and gratification. The BS mentality reminds me of what I have taught business professionals and college students in my public relations and communication programs. That is we often have to set the table before we sit down to eat. Indeed our technology has drastically changed the pace and the world in which we live. But so much of what we do, especially in business and relationships, requires us to slow down and plant seeds that will eventually take root and produce fruit. Baby Steps.
Maybe this BS approach comes with maturity. And then there’s that P word—patience. In leadership programs I teach, we talk about being decisive. Strong leaders don’t make hasty decisions. They are patient. They learn, read, analyze, understand, ask questions and study. They get clarity. They take Baby Steps. Then they make a decision.
BS —we often function more efficiently and with less pressure when we use the BS approach. You may want to try it.
Customer Service is Key to Growing Your Business in a Slow Economy
The key to keeping your current clients and attracting new ones in a down economy is to provide outstanding customer service. Customers who pay for your expertise, products and services have some level of trust and loyalty in what you do for them. Chances are they like you, or they wouldn’t give you money. I speak about the “Likeability Factor” in my programs, seminars and trainings for sales and business professionals.
Consumers these days are being much more selective as to where their precious dollars are going. They know they have choices. If you’re the front desk person at a hotel or retail store and someone complains, the cookie-cutter response is unacceptable. It’s the personal element, the human connection that customers look for. It’s what keeps them coming back, and bringing friends and referrals. In the end, people don’t like to be ignored. You and I know that because we are also consumers. We know how we like to be treated.
Consider the experiences you have had and what characterizes great service. Whether it’s a thorough follow-up from the person who sold you a new computer or the doctor who personally called you after minor surgery to see how you were feeling, it’s the fact that someone took the time out to nurture relationships, communicate that they cared and supported you. They went the Extra Mile.
This is your ideal time to show your clients, past and present, how much you value their business and genuinely care about them. This is the time to take your relationship to a new level that will build deeper trust and loyalty. It’s not about making a one-time sale, it’s about building relationships that will keep people coming back again and again.
