The Art of a Great Meeting

It’s easy to do. There’s a lot on the go and what better way to ensure alignment than to have a meeting and discuss expectations and deliverables. But how often have you attended a meeting that resolved nothing? It happens too often and we can fix it. If "the boss" likes meetings, show her a way to have less of them, make each one effective, and create a much more focused team.

Here are six simple rules we've all broken more times than we can count that will instantly improve your virtual or in person meetings. These will improve culture, efficiencies, collaboration and results.

If everyone involved adheres to the rules, alignment will happen quickly.

1. Meetings begin and end on time
2. The person instigating the meeting sends a brief and concise outline
3. Only those essential are involved and prepare ahead of time
4. Each meeting begins with a clear outline of expectations
5. No meeting lasts more than an hour
6. Meetings conclude with clear indication of who does what by when

Bonus for adventurous leaders
7. Remove all chairs from the room

Follow these simple steps and count how many hours you reclaim each week while more critical work gets done.

Kneale Mann | Leadership and Culture Strategist, Writer, Speaker, Executive Coach helping leaders create dynamic culture and improved results.

kenzi

How Are Your Meetings?

It’s easy to do. There’s a lot on the go and what better way to ensure alignment than to have a meeting and discuss expectations and deliverables. But how often have you attended a meeting that resolved nothing? It happens too often and we can fix it. If "the boss" likes meetings, show her a way to have less of them, make each one effective, and create a much more focused team.

Here are six simple rules we've all broken more times than we can count that will instantly improve your virtual or in person meetings. If everyone involved adheres to the rules, alignment will happen quickly.

1. Meetings begin and end on time
2. The person instigating the meeting sends a brief and concise outline
3. Only those essential are involved and prepare ahead of time
4. Each meeting begins with a clear outline of expectations
5. No meeting lasts more than an hour
6. Meetings conclude with clear indication of who does what by when

Good luck and if you need a hand, I’m happy to help.

Kneale Mann

flickr

Customer Service - Inside and Out

Recently, I was chatting with some friends about their recent road trip. All went well but they did share a couple of interesting stories. One was from a bad experience while trying to grab a quick bite to eat. It was one of those experiences where you feel you're more of an annoyance than a customer. “Someone deserved a four cent tip”, my friend exclaimed. The rest of the group nodded and began sharing bad service stories. Bad service ruins your experience and you wonder why you are the victim of their bad day.

Bad Service is Everywhere

We all want great service. But we are still surprised when we get it. If “four cent tip” guy got the service my friends received, he would be incensed. But he’s having a bad day, a rough shift, his boss is a tyrant, his feet hurt or a wide range of possible explanations that don’t and shouldn’t concern customers. Companies miss an opportunity when they ask us to follow them on Twitter only to find out there is nothing in it for us. Or they request we "like" them on Facebook only to find the same.

Now flip this around and look at your internal stakeholders. We all have a bad day, we all make mistakes but imagine for a moment that whiny waiter dude was your communications department and don’t wannabe there coffee shop woman was running your sales department while get it done faster cheaper guy was your boss.

Good Service: Tell a Friend. 
Bad Service: Tell All Your Friends.

One bad customer experience can dismantle thousands, even millions of dollars in marketing investment. To my friends, the grumpy server is now attached to the name of the restaurant. They had a bad brand experience.

Envision spending the next three months simply working on improving service inside your organization. That’s the stuff that happens between each person in your building. Any one of your stakeholders may be the only person a customer may ever meet. And this is true in all industries and across all levels of leadership.

The creation of strong internal and external customer service is far more valuable than a well crafted advertising campaign.

Kneale Mann

image credit:  helpscout | original: may 2011

The Lost Art of Customer Service

The Foundation of Business

Recently, I was chatting with some friends about their recent road trip. All went well but they did share a couple of interesting stories. One was from a bad experience while trying to grab a quick bite to eat. It was one of those experiences where you feel you're more of an annoyance than a customer. “Someone deserved a four cent tip”, my friend exclaimed. The rest of the group nodded and began sharing bad service stories. Bad service ruins your experience and you wonder why you are the victim of their bad day.

Bad Service is Everywhere

We all want great service. But we are still surprised when we get it. If “four cent tip” guy got the service my friends received, he would be incensed. But he’s having a bad day, a rough shift, his boss is a tyrant, his feet hurt or a wide range of possible explanations that don’t and shouldn’t concern customers. Companies miss an opportunity when they ask us to follow them on Twitter only to find out there is nothing in it for us. Or they request we "like" them on Facebook only to find the same.

Now flip this around and look at your internal stakeholders. We all have a bad day, we all make mistakes but imagine for a moment that whiny waiter dude was your communications department and don’t wannabe there coffee shop woman was running your sales department while get it done faster cheaper guy was your boss.

Good Service: Tell a Friend. 
Bad Service: Tell All Your Friends.

One bad customer experience can dismantle thousands, even millions of dollars in marketing investment. To my friends, the grumpy server is now attached to the name of the restaurant. They had a bad brand experience.

Envision spending the next three months simply working on improving service inside your organization. That’s the stuff that happens between each person in your building. Any one of your stakeholders may be the only person a customer may ever meet. And this is true in all industries.

The creation of strong internal and external customer service is far more valuable than a well crafted advertising campaign. 

Kneale Mann

image credit: shoply

Ideas for 2011 (part 2)

• Trust your gut
• Do something ridiculous
• Be more tolerant
• Success is not a number
• Follow through
• Focus on how
• Take the victory
• Be confident without boasting
• Do your part
• Of course you can do it
• Make time for think time
• You're not always right
• Hone the offer
• You are not a social media expert and neither am I
• Don't wait
• Find the lesson
• Keep learning
• Make a list of people you want to work with then make it happen
• If you want to then do it
• Thank a friend
• Read five profiles each week
• Don’t settle
• It really has nothing to do with numbers
• You're not always wrong
• Exceed expectations
• Don't just collect followers, friends and connections, get to know them
• Collaborate wildly
• You’re just as worthy as anyone
• Don't be mean
• You are not expected to have all the answers
• Smile more
• Own it all - not just the good stuff
• Chocolate is a food group
• There's much more to life than work
• Help others
• Do what you say you will do
• Lighten up
• Trust yourself
• Stop talking about the economy
• Say why not
• You are social media expert and so am I
• Consume more funny
• Focus on strengths
• More face time
• Eliminate soap boxes
• Good enough is not good enough
• Be yourself

What's missing?

knealemann | email


image credit: johnelkington

Ideas for 2011 (part 1)

• Read more, skim less
• Turn your phone off
• Of course you can
• Don't wait for approval
• Forget the past
• Spend more time with people you love
• Dream big, do bigger
• Don’t live on Twitter
• Be gracious
• Make quick decisions
• Numbers are irrelevant
• Stop comparing your effort to others
• Take one digital day off a month
• Enjoy the ride
• Stop doing anything that weakens you
• Say no until you get three things accomplished each day
• Keep an open mind
• Busy is a victim word
• Plan ahead then be flexible
• Let it be okay to be wrong
• One day each month – no new business
• Ask for help
• Help someone without their knowledge
• Reach higher
• Don't rest on past accomplishments
• Wear more hats
• Get to know ten new people each week
• Take time off
• More face-to-face than phone calls
• Go for it
• Don't lead with your resume
• Listen more
• Eradicate unnecessary meetings
• Ignore the news
• Sing often
• Let them be right
• You’ll never been done
• Say thank-you

Part two tomorrow. What would you add? 

knealemann | email


image credit: plannerinprogress

Communications: Bark Speak Meow

Speak to the dog, about what matters to the dog in the language of the dog
Jeff Eisenberg

True open honest collaboration is something that many enjoy. It can be a rare experience but magical when it works. This is where the entire team is working as a team.


There are no hidden agendas and everyone at the table is able to put aside the temptation of promoting their cause or business for the purpose of the team.

Woof Woof

Eisenberg reminds us that we need to read the room and talk to what matters to the room. It’s not enough to show people our skill set without applying it to their situation.

What Do You Think Of Me?

If we can put our agenda aside in place of those we are helping, we will be much further ahead. Our experience is drawn upon daily but understand it is in context with someone else’s need. And we do the same.

What barks you?

@knealemann
Let's create experiences, not campaigns

image credit: worth1000.com

Do Meetings Help Or Hurt?

How many meetings to you have this week?

How much of your time is spent preparing for them?

How much time is spent going to and from each meeting?

Do you start each meeting with a recap of work accomplished?

Do enjoy or dread meetings?


Do you accomplish something
in each of them?

Do you contribute and co-create during each meeting?

Do you complain that your ideas aren’t heard?

How much of your time is spent implementing the results?

@knealemann
Let’s create experiences, not campaigns.

image credits: legendarymarketing.com | thebelamar.com