Meetings are a Whip! How to get the most out of a meeting

When it comes to meetings, they are notorious for being ineffective and time wasters. Here are a few strategies that will make you more effective when conducting and facilitating meetings of all kinds.

Why have meetings?
Only call meetings when you have good reasons to do so.

There are three types of meetings:
Problem solving
Decision making
Informational (try to avoid these unless necessary to build energy around a subject)

Create an agenda:
Open the meeting with authority.
Review the agenda. Get input on agenda and find out if there is anything else the group may want to discuss.
Introduce matters you have deemed important to discuss.
Establish ground rules.
Start on time. End on time.
It should take approximately 30 minutes to cover each subject. Think “flow”.
Agree who can contribute.
Follow the agenda.
Stay on task.

Have a purpose for calling the meeting:
Examples are: Brainstorming, informing, elicit ideas, fix a problem, determine a course of action or clarify roles and responsibilities on a team.
Do not just have a meeting for the sake of feeling like the group is one-big family.
Do not have people attend that do not need to be there-- ask yourself who and why they need to be in the meeting.

Assign roles and responsibilities to members:
Leader-May or may not run meeting but clarifies purpose, objectives, scope of authority and constraints. Takes responsibility for follow up.
Facilitator-Guides the group through discussions.
Scribe-Someone to take notes for future distribution.
Contributor-Participates actively by offering ideas and keeping the discussion on track.
Expert-Contributes expert knowledge on issues AS REQUESTED

Be realistic:
Things will interrupt/disrupt your meeting so be realistic and expect thing like:
People that arrive late or leave early (ask them questions to make sure they are catching up with the group since they missed part of the meeting).
People who whisper or disturb the meeting.
One participant who dominates the meeting and infuriate everyone else.
A group that gets stuck or confused, focusing on only one small point of the issue/meeting and repeats the same point over and over again.
A group that runs out of energy or just falls silent.
A group that commandeers the meeting and begins to focus on items that are off-topic.

Be prepared:
Use active listening and observation to see where your audience is.
If someone is leaning forward, they may have something to say or are actively listening.
If their arms are crossed and they are leaning back in their chair, it is a good sign that they are disengaged in the meeting.

If a participant dominates the discussion:
If you are standing, walk closer to the person. This draws the audience’s attention TO you and AWAY from that person.
Thank him for his input and call on someone else.
Limit/eliminate interruptions.
If he finishes other people’s sentences, encourage him to let them finish what they had to say.
Ask the group to change roles so those that have been quiet take a more active role and the one’s who have been doing all of the talking can take a back-seat.

If someone disturbs the meeting by whispering, talking or interrupting:
Ask a question and then ask the person talking for the answer.

Boomerang:
Return a question to the person who had asked it in order to let the group know that the leader is not the only one responsible for answering questions.

Break into sub-groups:
Break up into smaller groups to elicit more feedback from all members of the meeting.

Ending and ending on time:
When you end on time you gain the trust and appreciation of all participants.
Have someone keep time.
Make sure all points of view are heard.
Periodically remind the group of the items left to discuss and the time left to do so.
Prioritize or postpone agenda items if time is running out.
If you have everything done, end the meeting. Time is too short to keep a large group of people in a meeting in order to fulfill an allotted time for meetings.
Restate and summarize what has been accomplished.
Clarify what comes next.

Get feedback on items missed or that may be important for future meetings.
Ask the group for an evaluation of the meeting. Either in person or via email.

Send out the proposed to do list moving forward.

Interview Advice- the market is fierce so prepare to win

By: Shawn Desgrosellier of Vitality Group

• Arrive early. Plan to arrive for your interview 10-15 minutes early. If you arrive earlier than that, go for a walk, get a cup of coffee, drive around the bock, or sit in the lobby. Arriving too early may create an awkward situation and arriving late definitely creates a bad first impression. Be sure to ask for directions when making arrangements for the interview and always allow enough time for bad traffic.
• Dress professionally. Your interview attire should be appropriate for the position for which you are applying. If you are unsure, choose conservative dress. In most cases, business suits are appropriate for both men and women. Carry a briefcase, portfolio notepad or manila folder. Bring extra resumes, list of references and a list of questions you need to ask.
• Be yourself. Your personality and background may appeal to some employers and not to others. It is to your advantage to be yourself, rather than try to mold yourself to fit an image you think will appeal to an employer. After all, you want to find a position and employer that is compatible with 'who you are' and your career objectives.
• Sell yourself! Six out of ten people don't get the job they want because they don't sell themselves. Be prepared to market your skills and experiences as they relate to the job described. Be self-confident and positive in describing your abilities to do the job. Convince the employer that you are the right person for the job and that you can help the employer solve some of their problems.
• Answering the Tell me about yourself question. Eight out of ten interviews begin with this question. Respond by illustrating how your interests and skills relate to the position and how your experiences and background would enable you to contribute to the position and organization. Spend about 90 seconds to two minutes highlighting your experiences while providing a focused answer. You may want to start out with personal information, then focus on academic experiences and professional experiences, and conclude with the reasons why you are interested in the position.
• Use examples whenever possible. Just stating your skills and strengths is not enough. You must demonstrate how you have successfully applied them. Be sure to give complete answers to questions. A typical answer may take 30 seconds to two minutes to explain.
• Communicate effectively. Speak clearly and enthusiastically about your experiences. Listen carefully in order to effectively and appropriately answer the questions being asked and to learn as much as possible about the position. Be positive about prior experiences, employers, former supervisors, college experiences, even your weaknesses. When describing a bad experience focus on the facts (not your feelings) and be brief.
• Silence is okay. Those pauses may seem longer to you than to the interviewer. A pause before answering a question enables you to organize your thoughts and present a concise answer. If you are unsure about a question, always ask for clarification before answering the question. When you have finished answering a question, stop, don't ramble on endlessly.
• Watch your body language and nonverbal communication. Maintain good eye contact, don't slouch, appear interested--not bored and control any nervous habits (fidgeting, drumming fingers, etc.) Your voice quality also demonstrates your confidence--speak clearly. Have good personal hygiene, do not wear too much make-up, jewelry or cologne/perfume. Pay attention to the details--polished shoes, professional hair style, clean nails, fresh breath, etc.
• Social etiquette and small talk skills are important. Be prepared to engage in small talk at the beginning of the interview. Your conversational skills are part of that first impression. Also, you may be invited to lunch or dinner as part of the interview. The meal is a significant part of the interview especially if your social skills are being evaluated as part of the hiring decision.
• Expect the unexpected. During the interview, you may be asked some unusual questions. Often times the employer is simply seeing how you react to the question.
• Qualities Employers Seek in Job Candidates. Employers typically are looking for individuals who possess a pattern of success (academic accomplishments, leadership qualities, activities;) strong grades, written and oral communication skills; related work experience; interpersonal skills; leadership potential; decision making and problem solving skills; creativity and intelligence; flexibility; initiative/innovation; enthusiasm and positive outlook; self-confidence; polished personal style, honesty and integrity; ability to get along with others--a team player; and good work ethic.

Is it a Training or Management Issue? Performance Management 101

DETERMINE IF IT’S A TRAINING ISSUE

Is the performance issue due to a lack of skill? Is so, training may be the answer. Apply the test, “could the person perform as desired with a gun to their head?” If the answer is yes, training is not the answer. You have a motivational or other issue.

What is the desired task performance (describe what is looks like)

What knowledge and skills are required to perform the task? (e.g. clear job expectations, how to perform the task)

Was the individual ever able to perform the task within acceptable standards? (Or could the individual perform the task if his/her life depended on it?)

WHAT ARE THE OTHER POTENTIAL CAUSES OF SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE?

It’s a capability issue- the individual is unable to perform the desired task (not everyone can run a 4-minute mile).

It’s a reward issue – the individual does not perceive an equitable benefit or reward.

It’s a process issue – the process of system prevents or hampers the performance.

It’s a values issue – personal and work values are in conflict.

It’s a management issue – management does not provide clear priorities or model the desired performance.

It’s a resource issue – the individual doesn’t have the tools or information needed to do the job.

The result ….Not every performance problem is a training issue.

Dating in the workplace- beware of the pitfalls

By: Shawn Desgrosellier

Dating in the workplace happens with a higher level of frequency than you can imagine. One statistic I read from a Dallas Texas research company stated that over half- yes 50% or more of today’s married couples met at work. That means inter-office relationships are plentiful in today's society.

Is it okay to date a co-worker? Well, it depends on the company and depends on the people involved. For example, at some companies like Wal-Mart they have very clearly defined policies about dating and relationships in the workplace. It is forbidden and you could put your job and career at risk if you fraternize at work.

There are other companies where inter-office relationships are encouraged. These companies have to deal with a different set of issues and problems. They need to make absolutely sure they have an iron clad harassment policy in place just in case one of those inter-office relationships go bad. It is not a matter of “if” one will go bad, it is more or a “when” will one or more of these inter-office relationships go bad.

I have attended five different weddings over the past five years where the couple met in the workplace- and these were all very close friends. As our society has shifted where both the man and woman are chasing career aspirations this has also shifted where relationships begin. When a couple meeting in high school was the norm in the 70’s, and meeting your future spouse in college was in the 80’s and into the 90’s, today relationships in the workplace are by far the leading place to meet your potential spouse.

Boolean Search Tips and Tricks

What is a Boolean search?

A Boolean search is an advanced keyword search method used to target specific results. When searching resumes on the internet, it can be invaluable in maximizing your time spent searching!

When running Boolean searches, it is important to remember that no search is ever final. Once run, you might find that your Boolean string needs to be modified still.

Running Simple Boolean Searches

The logic behind running a Boolean search is very simple. Basically, by using words such as AND, OR, and AND NOT (to name the most common!), you can quickly cut through the web to find the results that you are looking for.

Other Simple Boolean Search Methods

Though less commonly used, sometimes they're just what you're looking for.

ROOT WORD Searches

Root word searches allow you to pull words that contain the same prefix. The operator for root word searches is an asterisk (*).
For example, if you constructed the following search…
Search For: nurs*Using: Boolean SearchThe results would include "nurse," "nurses," and "nursing."

STEM WORD Searches

Stem word searches allow you to pull words that contain the same base stem. The operator for stem word searches is two asterisks (**).
For example, if you constructed the following search...
Search For: fly**Using: Boolean SearchThe results would include "fly," "flew," "flown," "flying," etc.

Running More Advanced Boolean Searches

Once you can create a simple Boolean string, moving on to a more advanced search is really not much harder. It's all in how you group things!

Parentheses

The most important tool when constructing more advanced Boolean strings are the parentheses (i.e. the characters that are enclosing this clause).
While they seem intimidating at first, using parentheses is actually very easy.

If you think back to high school math, things that are in parentheses are always "grouped together"...
2 * 3 + 1 = 7but2 * (3 + 1) = 8
The parentheses add clarification on which operation should be performed first.

The parentheses function much the same in a Boolean search. For example, if you were looking for an engineer who has CAD experience and either mechanical or electrical experience, you could use the following:

Search For: CAD and engineer* and (mechanical or electrical)Using: Boolean SearchThe results would be everyone who has "CAD," "engineer" / "engineers" / "engineering," and "mechanical" listed, or everyone who has "CAD," "engineer" / "engineers" / "engineering," and "electrical" listed.

Double-Quotes

Another very important set of operators is double-quotes. Double-quotes allow you to search for a specific phrase, not just individual words. For example:
Search For: "web design" and htmlUsing: Boolean SearchThe results would be everyone who has the phrase "web design" in their resume and the word "html."