Making the Most of Your Meetings
Meeting … meetings … seemingly endless (and often unproductive) meetings! They’re one of the most common time and money wasters existing in business today – frequently thought of as “necessary evils.” But they don’t have to be! If your organization espouses the importance of maximizing its resources – which most do – it’s imperative that you and your fellow leaders walk that talk. One of the best places to start is effective meeting management. Here are four ideas that should help:
Does it make $en$e to have a meeting? Don’t meet if there’s a more cost-effective way to achieve your objective. Ask others to help you develop a list of ways to accomplish tasks and goals with minimal need for group meetings. Just for fun: Calculate the cost of your last meeting (salaries plus other expenses) and see if you got your money’s worth. Would you repeat that same meeting if its cost was coming out of YOUR pocket?
Supply all participants with a written agenda prior to each meeting. Make sure the agenda includes: meeting objectives; issues to be discussed; start/end times and location; who will be attending; how participants should prepare … and what they should bring.
Manage the meeting. Establish ground rules up front – including a list of “do” and “don’t” meeting behaviors. Then, keep the group on track, follow the ground rules, and strictly adhere to the time frames. If you manage the process effectively, the results will usually take care of themselves.
End all meetings with a short review of the results. Discuss what was accomplished – and what, if anything, needs to be done after the meeting.
Whoever invented the meeting must have had Hollywood in mind. I think they should consider giving Oscars for meetings: Best Meeting of the Year, Best Supporting Meeting, Best Meeting Based on Material from Another Meeting.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Ducks and EAGLES ?
Ducks Quack , Eagles Fly
No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice.
Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.
He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .
He handed my friend a laminated card and said:
'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'
Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said:
Wally's Mission Statement:To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!
As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.'Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.'Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.' Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustratedand USA Today.
'As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.
Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years.
My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition.
Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.
'''That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.''I take it that has paid off for you,'
Harvey said.'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.
'Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call.
The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.
How about us???
No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice.
Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.
He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .
He handed my friend a laminated card and said:
'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'
Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said:
Wally's Mission Statement:To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!
As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.'Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.'Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.' Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustratedand USA Today.
'As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.
Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years.
My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition.
Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.
'''That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.''I take it that has paid off for you,'
Harvey said.'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.
'Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call.
The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.
How about us???
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
1000 saturdays
The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work.
Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable. A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other.
What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.Let me tell you about it.
I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding chap with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business himself.He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named "Tom."
I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your Family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixtyor seventy hours a week to make ends meet.Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital.
"He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities."And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles.
""You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.""Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime.
Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part.""It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail," he went on,"and by that time I had lived through overtwenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five,I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.""So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to roundup 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio.
Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away.""I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."
"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones......"It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!
"You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's moderator didn'thave anything to say for a few moments.I guess he gave us all a lot to think about.I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss."C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast.""What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.
"Oh, nothing special," I said. " It has just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out?I need to buy some marbles."
* Good times are even better when they're shared* A good long talk can cure almost anything.* Everyone needs someone with whom to share their secrets.* Listening is just as important as talking.* An understanding friend is better than a therapist.* Friends are like wine; they get better with age.* GEMS MAY BE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP IS PRICELESS!!!
Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable. A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other.
What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.Let me tell you about it.
I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding chap with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business himself.He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named "Tom."
I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your Family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixtyor seventy hours a week to make ends meet.Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital.
"He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities."And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles.
""You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years.""Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime.
Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part.""It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail," he went on,"and by that time I had lived through overtwenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five,I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.""So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to roundup 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio.
Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away.""I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."
"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones......"It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!
"You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's moderator didn'thave anything to say for a few moments.I guess he gave us all a lot to think about.I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss."C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast.""What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.
"Oh, nothing special," I said. " It has just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out?I need to buy some marbles."
* Good times are even better when they're shared* A good long talk can cure almost anything.* Everyone needs someone with whom to share their secrets.* Listening is just as important as talking.* An understanding friend is better than a therapist.* Friends are like wine; they get better with age.* GEMS MAY BE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP IS PRICELESS!!!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Winning Attitude
Extract from John C. Maxwell's - "The Winning Attitude"
Usually the person who rises within an organisation has a good attitude. The promotions did not give that individual an outstanding attitude, but an outstanding attitude resulted in that person being promoted. A recent study by Telemetrics International concerned those "nice guys" who had climbed the corporate ladder. A total of 16,000 executives were studied. Observe the difference between the executives defined as "high achievers" (those who generally have a healthy attitude) and "low achievers" (those who generally have an unhealthy attitude):
High achievers tended to care about people as well as profits; low achievers were preoccupied with their own security.
High achievers viewed their subordinates optimistically; low achievers showed a basic distrust of their subordinates' abilities.
High achievers sought advice from subordinates; low achievers didn't.
High achievers were listeners; low achievers avoided communication and relied on policy manuals.
CHALLENGE: For one week treat every person you meet, without a single exception, as the most important person on earth. You will find that they will begin treating you the same way.
Usually the person who rises within an organisation has a good attitude. The promotions did not give that individual an outstanding attitude, but an outstanding attitude resulted in that person being promoted. A recent study by Telemetrics International concerned those "nice guys" who had climbed the corporate ladder. A total of 16,000 executives were studied. Observe the difference between the executives defined as "high achievers" (those who generally have a healthy attitude) and "low achievers" (those who generally have an unhealthy attitude):
High achievers tended to care about people as well as profits; low achievers were preoccupied with their own security.
High achievers viewed their subordinates optimistically; low achievers showed a basic distrust of their subordinates' abilities.
High achievers sought advice from subordinates; low achievers didn't.
High achievers were listeners; low achievers avoided communication and relied on policy manuals.
CHALLENGE: For one week treat every person you meet, without a single exception, as the most important person on earth. You will find that they will begin treating you the same way.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Self Belief
"The prizes of life we fail to win because we doubt the power within."
Wow! That sentence really says it all. When we finally eliminate all of those self defeating doubts that have haunted us for oh so long, we clear the path to having, doing or being anything and everything we have ever dreamed about. This poem reminds us to live our lives the way we were born to live them ... confidently, courageously and without a doubt.
Just for a moment, imagine yourself living without worry and doubt, totally free to believe and achieve. What a way to go ... and grow! We need to stop doubting ourselves and start believing in ourselves, our plans and our dreams. Let's stop saying we can’t and start saying we can, we can … we can.
You and I have always had what it takes to be counted among the best of the very best. We can choose to live a life completely devoid of worry and fear when we choose to live without a doubt. The moment we start believing deep down in our hearts and our souls that we can do it, we will start living life on our terms … without a doubt!
Wow! That sentence really says it all. When we finally eliminate all of those self defeating doubts that have haunted us for oh so long, we clear the path to having, doing or being anything and everything we have ever dreamed about. This poem reminds us to live our lives the way we were born to live them ... confidently, courageously and without a doubt.
Just for a moment, imagine yourself living without worry and doubt, totally free to believe and achieve. What a way to go ... and grow! We need to stop doubting ourselves and start believing in ourselves, our plans and our dreams. Let's stop saying we can’t and start saying we can, we can … we can.
You and I have always had what it takes to be counted among the best of the very best. We can choose to live a life completely devoid of worry and fear when we choose to live without a doubt. The moment we start believing deep down in our hearts and our souls that we can do it, we will start living life on our terms … without a doubt!
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