15. Ten Tips for Conducting Power

7/25/2019 15. Ten Tips for Conducting Power

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10 Tips for Conducting Power-Packed Meetings (That People Love to Attend!

The following is a list of ugh"s 10 tips for Conducting Power-Packed Meetings

1# Clearl$ state the purpose for the %eeting#

&on"t hold a %eeting unless there is a reason# 'es that is the funda%ental rule#

)now wh$ $ou are holding a %eeting and tell others wh$# *hen people are

asked to

attend a %eeting the$ want to know what is e+pected of the% and a definition

of

the e+pected output of the %eeting# ,e sure that ever$one is re%inded of the

purpose of the %eeting at the eginning of the %eeting# Articulate the %eeting

o.ectives as clearl$ stated /deliverales/ or so%e other ter% that

co%%unicates

co%pletion of specific o.ectives# Take ti%e to ensure that ever$one

understands

and has a chance to have their uestions addressed#

# Plan the %eeting thoroughl$

,egin with the deliverales that is know what $ou want to walk awa$ with at

the

end of the %eeting# 2+press the deliverales using specific focused and

%easurale outco%es# An e+a%ple could e so%ething like /3dentif$ 4 )iller

5trategies for 6etting People to Attend 7ur 8ew Progra%#/ This kind of

language

would drive $our planning process to rainstor% rich content# And then assign

weight to each idea# 9inall$ sort for the est five strategies# )nowing where $ou

want to end up is a prereuisite for designing how to get there#

*hen planning the %eeting allow twice the %eeting ti%e for $our planningprocess#

That is a one-hour %eeting should take aout two hours to plan# 3n order to

get

the est results a co%%it%ent to the est planning is necessar$# *hen planning

the ti%e co%%it%ent for each %eeting ite% do not fill up the entire ti%e slot#

7nl$

plan for :4; of the availale ti%e# 5o%e ite%s will take %ore ti%e than

planned# 3fthe %eeting takes less ti%e then ad.ourn earl$# There will e no co%plaints# &o


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not fall for the old principle /work e+pands to fill the ti%e allowed#/ ,e efficient

with

$our ti%e and respect the ti%e of others!

7utline ever$ part of the %eeting in $our planning guide# &efine how %uch ti%e

it

will take to introduce the deliverales and give an overview of the %eeting#

&efine

how %uch ti%e it will take to rainstor% sort and refine# &o not leave out an$

part

of the process#

Prepare visuals for the %eeting#


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?# ,egin and end on ti%e

)now how long the %eeting will take pace the %eeting and end on ti%e as

pro%ised# )eep faith with the participants# ,egin on the e+act ti%e specified

even

if ever$one is not present# &o not penali@e those who have arrived on ti%e# 3f

$ou

co%%unicate that $ou are not keeping $our word as a leader with so%ething as

si%ple as a starting ti%e then how will $our work e trusted in %ore i%portant

%atters#

Assign a priorit$ for ite%s on the agenda# )now which ite%s to drop or postpone

if

the %eeting is %ore co%ple+ than e+pected and egins to take longer thanplanned# Planning for :4; of the %eeting ti%e allows for so%e ite%s to e+pand

for

e+tra discussion if needed#

4# &esign wa$s to pro%pt input fro% each attendee

3f people have een invited to a %eeting then e+pect the% to participate#

Participating will validate each person"s worth to the process and ulti%atel$ to

the

outco%e giving each person ownership# 8ot ever$one will feel co%fortale in

contriuting to the discussion# 9ind wa$s to pro%pt input fro% those who will

not

easil$ participate# 9or e+a%ple during a rainstor%ing e+ercise ask for input

fro%

the group in a predictale rotation (left to right etc#

3f so%eone does not contriute ideas then ask the% to co%%ent on the ideas

contriuted $ others# Allow ever$one to vote when sorting out %ultiple ideas or

concepts#

:# Create a group list of /nor%s/ for process together

3f the group %eets on an ongoing asis or on a regular schedule then it %ight

e a

good idea to develop a set of operational guidelines for how the group process

works and how decisions will e %ade# ere is a t$pical list of a few /nor%s/

o 2ver$one contriutes


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o Attack ideas not people

o &isagree%ent is ok it can even e a creative tool!

o 5peak $our %ind in the group or not at all

B#


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Allow ti%e for feedack discussion and a%end%ents if appropriate# 5o%eti%es

a

%eeting will progress too fast for so%e to keep pace with ever$thing# 5everal

opportunities in the %eeting should e dedicated to ringing the group together

to

validate the process not onl$ the results# Pro%pting is allowed and even

necessar$

at ti%es to let participants know that it is all right to ask for clarification#

D# 5ta$ in control of the %eeting

3f a participant hi.acks the %eeting take it ack gentl$# 8ood$ wants to hear

an$one else ra%le or give speeches that are unnecessar$ or length$# The

facilitator%ust re%ain in control of the process and take it ack fro% ti%e to ti%e# This is

not i%polite# 3t is %erel$ practical# )now how to intervene without using harsh

words or actions# 3nsure that ever$one is on oard efore %oving on the ne+t

ite%#

10# &o not ad.ourn without setting accountailit$ standards

3f actions are needed assign responsiilit$ and a co%pletion date for each ite%#

6ood ideas will onl$ %ateriali@e into results when the$ are a part of an action

plan#

The action plan consists of the following infor%ation

o 5pecific task (action ite%

o

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15. Ten Tips for Conducting Power