Article is good n suggestive. Subject is inappropriate. It must be 'MEETING SKILLS' to communicate the suggestions the right way.
Good research! -Divya ********************************************************************** --- In [email protected], "webdesigningexpert" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Meeting Skills > > Have you ever attended a meeting that ended up being a waste of time? > Nothing seemed to get accomplished; the agenda was unclear; people were > late...or didn't even show up. > > This, unfortunately, has happened to many of us, but it doesn't need to > continue. There is such a thing as an effective meeting! > > WHY HAVE A MEETING? Meetings are an important forum for keeping open > channels of communication. They provide us with what is often the most > effective vehicle for sharing ideas and information. It is important for > a team or work unit to be clear about upcoming projects or progress on > work that is currently underway, and frequently it is a staff (or other) > meeting that provides the best means of doing this. > > DO WE REALLY NEED A MEETING? In spite of the usefulness of meetings, > there are times when a meeting may not be the best choice. Perhaps a > phone call or an e-mail message is more appropriate, or a quick > discussion with another individual is all that is really required. > Evaluate why you are going to meet, and make a conscious decision about > what is appropriate in this particular case. > > Having clear answers to these questions is a good beginning for > effective and productive meetings. > ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION > Not everyone is comfortable participating in a meeting. It may be that > they are unsure of their role or the value of their input. There are, > however, some fairly simple ways of helping to assure full > participation: > > * Make it safe. People won't feel comfortable sharing their ideas if > they feel they may face retribution or ridicule. Create an environment > where everyone feels safe when contributing. > * Create a "blame-free zone." Make sure that you are looking for ways > of improving a process rather than assigning blame to a person or > department. The focus should be positive, not negative. > * Act as "gate keeper." Encourage equal participation by creating > openings and asking for input. > * Listen. Truly listen. Listen carefully to the message and the > feelings behind it. Explore ideas rather than debate or defend. > * Contain digression. Limit irrelevant discussion and unnecessarily > long examples or stories. > * End the discussion. Make sure that all participants have the same > impression of what has been said, helping to close and decide any > necessary issues. > * Test for consensus. Summarize the group's position and state any > decisions. Check for agreement of the summary. > > "A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours." -- Milton > Berle > > Sad, but too often true. The good news is that it doesn't have to be > this way! > CHECK-UP > To make sure that you will get the most from your meeting, try asking > yourself the following questions as you make your arrangements: > > 1. Has a clear agenda been prepared and distributed ahead of time? > 2. Do you have all the supporting materials and supplies (i.e., any > facts and figures gathered in preparation, as well as markers, > flipcharts, tape, etc.)? > 3. Has everyone been informed of the meeting's time and location? > 4. Have participants carried out any assignments needed to prepare > for the meeting? > > VISUAL AIDS CAN HELP > > Flipcharts. Blackboards. Graphs and charts. Overheads and video tapes. > Colored markers. These are just some of the visual aids you can use in a > meeting. > > Displaying information visually helps in a few ways. First, it's true, a > picture is worth a thousand words. Using a graphic reinforces key > concepts and ideas. Secondly, graphics of any kind help to break up the > monotony of only hearing information presented verbally. In addition, a > very large number of people learn most effectively and think most > creatively when they work with visual things. > > A good idea is to combine a few different ways of presenting > information. > ACTION PLAN > Here are some suggestions that can make your meeting run more smoothly. > > 1. Stick to the agenda. > 2. Use the roles of leader, scribe, and timekeeper. > 3. Start and end on time. > 4. Establish ground rules. > 5. Encourage full participation. > 6. Use visual aids. > 7. Summarize and test for consensus. > 8. Prepare an agenda for the next meeting before closing. > 9. Check for suggestions for making future meetings more effective. > > Regards > > Krishna > > 9247180489 >
