Leadership development: Effective Meeting Management

Your supervisor tells you to be at a meeting. It's a discussion, but several people in the group do all the talking.  The rest of the group is silent. The meeting leader does not appear to notice this.  What is the impact of this on the group, and on the bottom line?

First, some meetings are to share important news, not to discuss matters. That's fine - if it only happens rarely. (Sharing news can also be done by e-mail.)

Second, a leader who allows many people to sit silently during discussions may not know why there is so little participation, what the cost of this is, and strategies to change this.

People are quiet for various reasons. Among them is a lack of interest in the topic, a lack of new information to share because the topic is ancillary to their job (and they may not be appropriate attendees), a fear of speaking in public (and a group to these people is considered to be speaking in public), hearing loss and a lack of certainty as to what was just discussed, or other reasons.

The cost to the company of minimal participation is considerable.  There is a Cost of Meeting Clock, which determines the cost based on the number of attendees, average hourly pay rate, and length of the meeting. This determines the entire financial cost of the meeting. However, think about the amount of work that is not getting done because of the meeting, and the boredom factor of attendees who want to be anywhere but in that meeting. In addition, helpful information is not being shared among the attendees.

According to a new Gallup study, 50% of employees leave because of their supervisor. Often this has to do with poor leadership communication skills. Employee turnover is extremely expensive to a company, involving recruiting and training costs, as well.

What can a leader do to be more effective in eliciting participation at meetings? The solution depends on the problem's cause, of course.  To start, look at the reason for the meeting, and determine if the meeting needs to actually be held, or if an e-mail would be sufficient. Which participants really need to attend? Do they know in advance what to bring or prepare to talk about?

Does the leader know how to control participation by encouraging quiet people to talk, and talkative people to give others a chance to contribute? 

Techniques to resolve these issues  with meetings can be found on pages 10 - 11 of  the e-book, Executive Communication Strategies. On other pages, you'll  learn about Customer Services/Persuasion, Decision Making Paradigm, Questions Leaders Should Consider, Professional Listening Skills, Public Speaking Techniques for Leaders, and more! Get Executive Communication Strategies now and find out the practical, easy-to-use strategies to improve your communication skills!

Winter Storm Remus: Checklist of preparations (and why it matters)

For those in the South and the Southeast, today (or tonight ) is a time when we should be prepared for a potential power outage, according to the weather reports that emphasize the potential for heavy snow, downed tree limbs and more. With heavy snow, it may take a few days for stores to be accessible and resupplied with goods. Good leaders, whether of a business, a department, or a family, think ahead and do a risk assessment.  Are you prepared adequately for this severe storm? Do you have flashlights, and extra batteries of the right size? Have you checked the flashlights recently to make sure they still work? Do you have sufficient water on hand? Electricity is needed to power the water pumps. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends 1 gallon per person per day. Many people recommend filling up buckets with water in advance of the storm to flush toilets. Is your laundry done ahead of time? Are your faucets dripping, so they don't freeze and burst? Are the under-sink cabinets also open (and any harmful chemicals that are normally stored there  put up high if there are children or pets)? Opening the cabinets warms the pipes. Do you have a way to stay warm if the power goes out? Do you have food prepared, extra canned goods and foods that do not need refrigeration (such as peanut butter, bread, fruit, cereal, and milk in aseptic containers), and a mechanical can opener available? Do you have a safe way to heat food inside, or if necessary, outside, if there is a power failure? Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm and does it work, in case you are attempting to use a dangerous way to stay warm inside a dwelling, and are not aware it is dangerous? Are your electronics, such as your computer, tablet and cell phone, charged up before the storm? Do you have a way to charge them if the power goes out? If you use electrical medical equipment such as a CPAP machine or other device, how do you plan to keep it working during a power outage? If you take medication, do you have sufficient on hand for the length of the storm and a few days' afterwards? If it needs to be kept cold, such as insulin, how will you do that? How will you get communications about the storm during the storm and afterwards? Do you have a battery-operated or crank-powered NOAA (weather) radio, and extra batteries if it is a battery-operated radio? If it is solar-powered, is it charged fully before the storm starts? If you have babies, do you have sufficient diapers and formula on hand for the length of the storm plus several more days? If you have pets, do you have enough pet food and pet supplies such as cat litter or pee pads on hand for the length of the storm and several more  days? If you have a car, is the gas tank full? Is there a car emergency kit in the trunk, with such items as extra water, emergency foods, blankets, extra hats, gloves and dry socks (as extremities freeze first)? Do you have a snow shovel and rock salt, if you may be responsible for clearing a path outside your home? Many Southerners do not normally have snow shovels, but they may make a big difference with the expected amount of snow. If you have renter's insurance, homeowner's insurance and/or car insurance, do you have your policy numbers and contact information written down on paper (in case electronics don't work), in case you need to contact these insurance companies because of damage?  Details on more preparations for an emergency kit can be found at www.ready.gov/kit  . Why do all this planning? Think what the implications could be for you or your family if you are not prepared! Great leaders  not only plan ahead, they also learn to communicate well. Business Speech Improvement offers Executive Communication Techniques, a concise e-book of 18 vital communication skills today's leaders need. Think like a leader; get this book now to know how to communicate better tomorrow. (Yes, you can read it with a flashlight if necessary!)

Leadership Development: The Hidden Message and the Crucial Question

Have you ever received an e-mail or voice mail that seemed slightly odd from someone you thought you knew well? For example, you might wonder,
"Why did he ask me that? I just answered it!" Besides the possibility that the other person might not have received your e-mail, there could be a potential problem that the other person was tactfully trying to relate to you - if only you had asked, "Is there something else I should know about this?"

Sometimes a question is phrased in a certain way to request clarification of instructions, to get them in writing in case of a problem later, or to delicately alert the recipient that this question is of significant importance to at least one (and maybe several) people, for a reason you should know. However, the sender may want to assess your willingness to listen first, and thus is phrasing the question that way.

When in doubt, consider there might be an underlying message and ask the other person the crucial question: "Is there anything else I should know about this?"

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in executive communication skills for leadership development. For those who cannot attend, an e-book, Executive Communication Strategies, offers strategies in 18 vital aspects of communication.

The three most important functions of an effective manager

In his excellent book, Quick and Nimble, author Adam Bryant reports on a fascinating study done by Google, called Project Oxygen. The purpose was to determine the most important actions of effective managers. They went through an extensive observation, rating and analytic process, and arrived at 3 top actions. Effective managers' most important attributes, they found, were calmness and taking the time for one on one meetings with employees, helping employees think through problems by asking questions, and caring about their employees' careers and lives.

Think about the best managers you have had, or employ. Do you agree or disagree with the conclusions of Project Oxygen? How do you assess your leaders in these vital skills?

Business Speech Improvement provides coaching in verbal skills, including communication skills for leadership development.

Customer service: voice of the organization

Do your front line staff know that, to the public, they are the voice and face of the organization? Do they have the communication skills expertise to showcase your company in the most positive manner?

In an interesting interaction, a visitor to a recreation facility stopped an employee and gently and tactfully made a suggestion. "Have you ever considered having more trash cans [at a certain location in the facility]?" she asked. She explained what she had witnessed with the trash situation. The employee then stated emphatically that more trash cans would not help but that she hoped the [departing] visitor would educate the other visitors near her when they littered. The visitor, sensing the employee was very irritated, then complimented the employee on how nice the facility in general was looking, and the employee smiled slightly.

Afterwards, the visitor realized that, despite the suggestion box near (with no suggestion forms in sight), the employee did not think visitor suggestions were of value to the facility - even when the suggestions could make her job easier. The employee was basically telling the visitor that she didn't want to hear anything but praise.

A better way for the employee to have reacted would have been to write down the idea and say she would take it to her boss, sounding as if she valued the idea. The employee could then have asked which sections of the facility the visitor enjoyed most, or a similar question to keep the visitor focused on the best parts of her visit. This would not have taken long, and would have ended the visitor's stay in a very positive way.

Think about your front line staff. How do you want them to view customer suggestions - as something positive for the organization, or as a nuisance?

If you value customer suggestions, how do you let your staff and/or the customers know this?
Do you act on the suggestions and let the staff and customers know,  reward them or take other actions? Please share your ideas!

Business Speech Improvement offers intensive coaching and also an e-book on communication strategies for leadership development. Poor communication is so expensive; learn practical strategies for improving your skills!

Leadership: The power of observation

As a leader, do you practice what you preach to your employees?

Recently a person in a leadership-training program for upcoming managers commented that he went to his manager to apologize for making an error. The manager got furious at him for his minor mistake. The person, who had gone on his own initiative, left very upset. To make matters worse, the manager gave a lecture the next day to the leaders-in-training about how to motivate employees and correct them as needed - and the suggested approach was a gentle, encouraging one.

If you were that trainee, what would you have learned from this experience?

As a leader, you know your employees are constantly watching your body language and noting your tone of voice. If you sound angry, even if it is due to another matter entirely, word will be passed to your staff very quickly that you are upset and they should stay away from you if possible. People trust your actions and tone of voice much more than your words.

If you are not conveying your desired message, communication coaching is available. Business Speech Improvement provides training in communication for leaders, accent modification, presentation skills and much more!

Leadership: Consider the Ripple Effect

When a stone is thrown into a pond, it causes ripples in all directions. When a leader considers an action, he or she must also consider the ripples, in terms of production, operations, staffing and scheduling, finance, marketing, public relations and more. What are the implications of the idea? What would be the best time-line to put the idea into effect, considering the needs of a team involving all relevant departments?

If a leader is coaching his employees, he should also ask them to consider the effects of their ideas, before telling him about the ideas. Employees would learn to consider all aspects, and less suitable ideas would be eliminated before talking to leadership.

Ripples can also be found in other business decisions. For example, if a mortgage lender decides to request additional information right before a scheduled closing, thus delaying a closing, this can cause significant ripples in the lives of those affected: the buyer and seller, the realtors, the utility companies that provide services, the moving companies that have to reschedule a move, etc.

If a small business owner decides to coach his top 3 employees to achieve more or do their jobs more effectively, and then later asks them to do the same for their direct reports, this can have a ripple effect too. Employees may become more enthusiastic about assuming new duties or doing them to higher standards. Retention may increase, as may employees' positive comments about the organization.

When you make decisions inside your sphere of influence, what ripples can they cause? What other groups' or departments' needs do you need to take into account? What impact could your decision have on others?

Business Speech Improvement provides intensive training in verbal skills, including executive communication, accent modification, diction, and more! Both coaching and e-books are available.

How to Leave Clearer Telephone Messages

Do you worry that your telephone messages are not reflecting your professionalism and may be hard to understand?

Start by saying your name clearly, and spelling it with keywords if you are not known to the listener. For example, say "Smith - S as in Sam, M as in Mary," etc. Many letters can be easily misunderstood on the telephone, so keywords are helpful. Say your telephone number slowly, so the listener can write it down. Give the message clearly, possibly starting with the major benefit or essential point. For example, "Please confirm you can come to the sales meeting at 3:00 today in the conference room so you will know the team's new sales strategy and your role in it." Then end by giving your phone number again.

Individual speech coaching, and group seminars in sales and executive communication are available from Business Speech Improvement, www.http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?Classes .

Executives: "Listen" with your eyes

When you observe your direct reports, do you notice both the verbal and non-verbal behaviors?
For example, you may have a direct report who says she is "fine", but she appears exhausted.
How do you handle the discrepancy between her verbal and non-verbal behavior?

Usually, when there is a difference between verbal and non-verbal behavior, the non-verbal behavior is more accurate. Simply, it is harder to lie with non-verbal behavior. Ask the employee how things are going. If she does not mention the reason for her exhaustion, be more direct.
"You seem exhausted. Are things going well at work for you, or is there a problem I should know about?" Then be quiet and listen...it may take some time before the employee states what is really on her mind.

Listening is a primary part of a manager's job. Learn more about how to listen well at the one day lively seminar on Executive Communication Coaching, on May 12th. Enroll before April 27th at http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?Classes.
Class size is limited, so enroll today!