[Ohio-talk] Supporting Document

Thu Nov 1 00:12:40 UTC 2018

 Thank U, great information!

On Tue, Oct 30, 2018 at 3:53 PM Smith, JW via Ohio-Talk <
ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Dear NFB of Ohio Family, Friends, and Colleagues,
>
> President Payne has asked me to address the topic of running successful
> meetings at our convention on Thursday November 1st. In preparation for
> that item, I am attaching and including in the body of this email, a
> document that I hope will be helpful to you, especially for those of you
> unable to attend the actual session. I will not necessarily cover all of
> these items on Thursday, but I sent them to you for your consideration as
> you prepare and implement your successful  future division and chapter
> meetings.
>
>
> Meetings are a powerful tool that are widely misunderstood. Like many
> professionals, I have read and enjoyed many Dilbert comics that point out
> the pain and frustration of poorly run meetings. In fact, I've been in my
> share of disappointment meetings. I'll share a short example with you and
> data showing that just how widespread bad meetings have become. Finally, I
> will cover the seven habits - the most powerful meeting tips I have used -
> that will set you up for success.
>
> The Meeting That Never Ended
>
> It was a Friday afternoon in the fall several years ago and I had a
> meeting scheduled. There were two other people in the meeting who did much
> of the talking. After about twenty minutes, it felt like the meeting was
> going in circles. After the sixty minute mark, I became frustrated and
> simply wanted the meeting to end. Unfortunately, the other participants
> simply continued to talk past the meeting's stated end time. The worst
> part? The meeting did not achieve anything particularly significant.
>
> Sleeping, Waste and More: The Plague of Dysfunctional Meetings
>
> Many people share my frustration with meetings. Consider the following
> observations about the plague of ineffective meetings in the modern
> workplace:
> ·         The typical American professional attends over 60 meetings per
> month (Source: A network MCI Conferencing White Paper. Meetings in America:
> A study of trends, costs and attitudes toward business travel,
> teleconferencing, and their impact on productivity (Greenwich, CT:
> INFOCOMM, 1998)
> ·         Approximately 50% of meeting time is wasted (same source as
> above)
> ·         39% of people attending meetings doze off during the meeting
> (source: CBS News<
> http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-do-useless-meetings-cost/>).
>
> Wow! Whether you are organizing meetings or simply attending them, you owe
> it to yourself to become more effective at this professional skill. Just
> imagine the gains you will achieve if you become 1% or 5% better at
> meetings over time.
>
> 7 Habits For Highly Effective Meetings
>
> "A meeting consists of a group of people who have little to say - until
> after the meeting."  ― P.K. Shaw
>
> Some readers may consider these habits basic. I encourage you to ask
> yourself if you are actually applying these ideas to each and every meeting
> you attend. If not, you have room to improve. Implementing these habits is
> a great way to improve your effectiveness fast. If you maintain all of
> these habits, you will learn that meetings are an effective tool to get
> work done.
>
> 1. Obtain Written Agenda In Advance
>
> Vague intentions to have a discussion on a topic rarely end on a
> productive note. If you are just getting started with agendas, start with a
> point form list of topics to be discussed and make sure that material is
> provided to attendees at least one day before the meeting. For better
> results, provide background information on the agenda so that everyone
> attending has the same information.
>
> What about when you are asked to attend a meeting without an agenda? Ask,
> "Can you please send me an agenda for the meeting so that I can prepare?"
>
> Tip: For frequently held meetings such as a weekly status meeting on a
> project, you can save time by creating a meeting template. Once you have
> that in place, preparing an agenda becomes a matter of filling in the
> blanks.
>
> 2. Review The Attendee List
>
> The people in the meeting room make or break your effectiveness. I have
> been in MANY meetings where the key person - a manager or executive - is
> not present. As a result, no significant decisions can be made.
>
> For Meeting Organizers: limit the number of people attending the meeting.
> The purpose of meetings is to make decisions and get work done. For the
> most part, meetings are not the best way to simply share information
> (exception: meetings are helpful to share sensitive information)
>
> For Meeting Attendees: read the attendee list before you walk into the
> room. Do you see any unfamiliar names? If so, consider looking them up in
> your organization's directory (or on LinkedIn). Surprises are not your
> friend when it comes to meetings.
>
> 3. Manage The Meeting By The Clock
>
> Watching the clock is important in an effective meeting. When nobody takes
> charge of managing time, it is easy to become careless and unfocused.
> Remember - when people attend a meeting they cannot do anything else. Make
> the time count!
>
> For Meeting Organizers: starting the meeting on time and ending on time
> (or a few minutes early!) will quickly enhance your reputation as an
> organized person. If you are running a large or complex meeting, consider
> asking a colleague to serve as time keeper. If managing meetings to the
> clock is challenging for you, the parking lot habit (see #4 below) will be
> a game changer!
>
> For Meeting Attendees: start by arriving early at the meeting (I suggest 5
> minutes for in person meetings and 1-2 meetings for conference calls). That
> means avoiding back to back committments on your calendar whenever possible.
>
> 4. Use The "Parking Lot" To Manage Off Topic Discussions
>
>
> The first time I saw a meeting facilitator use a parking lot, I was
> impressed. This helpful device performs two useful functions. First, it
> serves to keep the meeting focused on the stated agenda. Second, the
> parking lot acknowledges important points raised by attendees.
>
> Warning: The Parking Lot habit must be combined with the Follow Up habit
> if you wish to be truly effective. Otherwise, you are likely to gain a
> reputation for simply making a show of acknowledging other people.
>
> As a meeting organizer, here are a few steps to use the parking lot
> concept.
>
>   1.  At the beginning of the meeting, explain you expect everyone to
> focus their discussions on the agenda. Further, explain that this rule will
> help the meeting stay productive and end on time.
>   2.  Keep the meeting agenda document in front of you as a guide.
>   3.  Go through each agenda item
>   4.  Monitor and contribute to the discussion
>   5.  When someone raises an interesting point that does not relate to the
> agenda, say the following: "Thank you for that point, Tim. However,
> Microsoft Visual Studio tools go beyond the purpose of this meeting. Let me
> write down that item in the parking lot and I will include it in the
> meeting notes that I will send out by email so we can explore that point at
> the right time."
>
> 5. Prewire Important Points and Decisions
>
> From time to time, major decisions will be discussed in meetings. It could
> be a decision on which projects to fund or which projects to cancel.
> Serious decisions like this require the pre-wiring habit. In essence, you
> communicate with people one-on-one before the meeting about the decision
> before the meeting occurs. While time consuming, this approach increases
> your chances of success (and avoids surprises other meeting attendees).
>
> Tip: For an extended discussion of the pre-wire concept, I recommend the
> excellent Manager Tools podcast: How to Prewire a Meeting<
> http://career.managertools.com/2007/11/how-to-prewire-a-meeting>.
>
> 6. Take Notes For Yourself
>
> Taking notes in meetings is an essential skill yet I am often struck by
> how often people forget to do it. The key reason to take notes in a meeting
> is to record any questions or assignments that have been directed to you.
> Let's look at how attendees and organizers can act on notes.
>
> Take notes in a paper notebook (e.g. a Moleskine notebook or something
> similar) rather than using a computer, tablet or other device. Even if you
> have fantastic abilities to focus on the meeting, other people may assume
> that you are "catching up on email" instead of paying attention to the
> meeting if you take notes on a computer.
>
> Taking notes for Meeting Organizers: if you plan to send minutes or a
> summary of the meeting to attendees, say this at the start of the meeting
> and explain what you will include. Sending out meeting minutes, even a few
> paragraphs or bullet points, is a best practice.
>
> Taking notes for Meeting Attendees: bring a copy of the agenda and use
> that document to guide your note taking. Focus on the decisions made in the
> meeting and items that require further investigation or action on your part.
>
> 7. Follow Up On The Meeting
>
> The art and science of follow up is vital professional habit and it also
> matters in the context of meetings. When it comes to meeting tips,
> following up in a timely basis is a great way to manage stress and make a
> good impression on others. For the best results, I suggest following up
> (e.g. making a phone call, writing an email etc) the same day as the
> meeting. For very important matters, make a note on your calendar or task
> management tool of choice to continue following up until you reach a
> resolution.
>
>
> jw
>
>
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-- 
Wishing You All the Best,

Cheryl E. Fields

A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life
when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.
--D. Elton Trueblood