Make your meetings more effective!

When you lead a meeting, there are several ways to judge its value. Are new ideas generated and discussed? Is important information shared with everyone in attendance? Are people networking?

However, does everyone who attends need to be present? (Are there "chair-warmers" there, whose bodies are in the chair but whose minds are on vacation?)  Could the meeting information  be shared in some other format that might be less costly? The cost includes the other work that is not being done so attendees can be at the meeting. It also can be calculated by multiplying the average hourly pay times the number of attendees times the length of the meeting. There are indeed apps for iPhone (http://rockapproll.com/app/Meeting-Cost-Clock)  and for Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id...meetingcostcalculator...) that can calculate this for you. Of course, transportation, catering and meeting room costs are also additional expenses to holding a meeting. You may be shocked when you find out how expensive meetings are!

To make a meeting more effective, beyond having an agenda and minutes, figure out strategies to reduce multi-tasking by attendees who are using their tablets and other devices to work on other assignments. They may be paying minimal attention to the speaker or meeting leader. Instead, ask that only attendees come who can give full attention to the matter being discussed; there should be a mechanism for those who are meeting immediate deadlines to miss a certain number of sessions per year, with a requirement that they read the minutes of what transpired.

It helps to state the length of time the meeting will last, and to start and stop on time. This builds trust in the leader or facilitator.

Get people up and moving, or discussing ideas, every 20 - 30 minutes. If there will be a change in procedures or a merger, have people come up with implications for all parties involved or develop a time-line so they can accept change more easily. Offer refreshments on a table to the side of the room, so people have to walk at least a little bit.

One technique for getting people more involved in a meeting is to give each person some index cards. Present a topic for discussion, such as a proposed merger or new category of customer. Each person writes one implication, question or related idea per index card, and shares them with a coworker sitting next to him. That person attempts to answer the questions or comment on the ideas. The two then discuss both peoples' cards. This can take 10 minutes and is an efficient way to get people involved. Later, any new ideas can be shared with the entire group, or with the leader if more appropriate.

Get more ideas on meetings and 17 other crucial communication skills for leaders in Executive Communication Techniques (http://www.businessspeechimprovement.com/exec-techniques) an e-book that you'll wish your supervisor had read! Individual coaching is also available by Business Speech Improvement.

Determination of customer/patient/employee needs before they enter your office

Many professionals today, especially doctors, lawyers, accountants, managers and consultants, need to keep careful track  of their time for billing purposes.  If a client, employee or patient has his concerns  organized in writing before walking into your office, the visit is likely to be much shorter.

One smart doctor developed a form, listing the basic categories for which people came into his office. In his case, it listed symptoms, follow-up issues, prescription refills and tests. Everyone entering his waiting room was handed a clip-board to which a pen was attached, and asked to complete this form.

They handed it to him when they entered his exam room. It saved him and his staff a lot of time, and kept his office remarkably on schedule!

What are the main reasons people come into your office? Would a form like that, or simply giving a space to list problems, solutions already tried  and suggested solutions be helpful to you?

Business Speech Improvement provides communication coaching. Our helpful e-book, Executive Communication Strategies, offers valuable tips in 18 areas of communication for leadership. Learn more about it here!

                                 

The On-boarding Process and Your New Employees: 3 Questions to Ask and When

When a new employee starts, especially if there is only one starting at that time, the orientation or on-boarding process can be given little attention. The goal is to get the person to be a productive worker as fast as possible, so why worry about the "frills"?

The extra information presented, often at a slightly slower pace than warp speed, allows the newcomer to get acclimated to the company's culture and ways of doing things. On-boarding often occurs over a period of several days, weeks or even a year, depending on the complexity of the job and the amount to be learned.

After the new employee has been there a month, it's a great time to realize the employee may have ideas to share with his new employer - if the employer cares enough to ask. The employee may have worked for other companies with different ways of doing things, and may know a better way to do a process or project. He may know helpful websites, or have concerns about how things are done at your company. However, he is not likely to say these - unless a manager takes the time to ask these 3 invaluable questions.

1. You've worked at other places. Based on that (or what you've learned in school, if the employee is a new graduate), do you have some suggestions on how we might do things better? Every employee's ideas are of interest to us! We might not notice what we do, because we've done it so long or so often, but you as a new employee would notice these things right away.

2. Do you know of  non-confidential websites, great equipment or other resources that might be of special benefit to the company? If you find these, please let us know.

3. What information related to your job, the company or the industry would help you most at this time? Do you need training in a specific area? If so, do you know how to request it?

This is also a time to share some initial feedback with the employee, of positive things you have noticed. The employee then realizes that he matters to you,  that you notice what he does, and  he will usually try to please you.

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive coaching and e-books on various types of communication. If you found the above technique helpful, you'll definitely want to read Executive Communication Techniques, our e-book on many other practical strategies leaders can take to improve communication skills!

How's your small business outgoing voice-mail message?

Have you listened to your outgoing telephone message lately?
Was it very easy to understand, even for someone who is calling you for the first time?

I recently called a small business, and was appalled at the gruff, very deep tone of the message. It was almost impossible to understand, for a person who has normal hearing. For many customers who have hearing losses,it would not have been understandable. Prospective customers may easily have hung up. The culprit could well have been the recording equipment, or the person who recorded the message.

If you are recording an outgoing voice-mail message, say it slowly. This subconsciously cues those leaving a message to speak slowly themselves, which means you may understand them better. Speak enthusiastically, though, so people hear your enthusiasm!


Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training and e-books on many aspects of verbal communication, including diction and sales.

What Do Your Customers/Patients Learn from Your Receptionist?

Your receptionist is a public relations specialist for your office. Prospective and current clients, customers and vendors see her attitude and wonder how it mirrors those of the rest of your staff. What is your receptionist conveying?

Memorable visits to professional offices showed one receptionist loudly complaining on the telephone to a friend about her job and another one giving directions to the office to a new client while gesturing to current ones lined up to see her that the telephone caller was crazy. What goes on in your reception area?

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in verbal communication skills. Convey the most professional image: check out the training options in coaching and e-books today!

Give written instructions for your products or services?

If you produce a product or service and give written instructions to your customers or clients, do you TEST these instructions with a "naive" (new, ignorant) audience before assuming anyone can follow them? (This also applies to driving instructions to your office, which should be at the fingertips of employees answering the phone and on the website.) Testing these instructions with potential clients allows you to see how someone else interprets "easy" directions. If they misinterpret the directions, what do they do wrong, and how would they suggest it be worded better?

Doing this can save a company money, as fewer products will need to be returned by irritated customers, and the feedback on the company via Twitter, Facebook and other sources will be better.


Business Speech Improvement (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) provides intensive, customized training in communication skills. See our upcoming courses and e-books!

A Tale of Two Receptionists

It's amazing how non-verbal communication can convey a concept so different from words - and turn off customers! Today I stopped in two professional offices. Both were in the same industry, and both were busy. In one, the receptionist greeted me with smile and calmly asked me how she could be of assistance. In the other, the receptionist, who had been in another room, rushed behind her desk, said my companion's name, and barked out "We are SO busy today!" My companion apologized for disturbing her, she merely nodded, and we both felt uncomfortable giving them business!

What was the difference between the two offices? In the first, the receptionist appeared to think of us and to realize that her job existed because of the customers. In the second, the receptionist seemed to think only of herself and how overwhelmed she was.

What has your worst experience been with receptionists' communication?