We’re all human

In our increasingly regulated and controlled working lives, it is easy to feel that we are just part of a big machine, doing repetitive and dull jobs. This is particularly the case if you work in call centres or other environments where there is a set script to follow. Motivation, and therefore performance, tend to be low which affects profitability.

Does it have to be this way? Does this get the best out of our staff?

A-Z of Successful Meetings–C is for Control

When you start chairing meetings one of the main worries is how to keep control of the meeting. Often some of the delegates will be more senior and/or more experienced and it’s easy to feel alone and vulnerable. Here are some tips to ensure you keep calm and in control

A-Z of Successful Meetings B is for Behaviours

As people, we are all complex creatures and approach situations in many different ways. This is often seen in meetings. There are the people who like a meeting to be fast paced and decisive but also people who like to discuss, reflect and reach a consensus. When leading a meeting it can be a delicate balancing act to keep everyone on board.

Sometimes the behaviour of delegates can interfere with the running of the meeting so here are some tips to keep things on track when chairing a meeting

But we’re different….

Many times throughout my career, when investigating a particular problem, people have made comments along the lines of:

“But we’re the [Insert any industry name here] industry, our problems are unique, no-one has the same problems”

“The challenges of [Insert any job title] are different, no other role has these challenges”

Is this a valid assertion?

A-Z of Successful Meetings–A is for Attendees

Who you have at your meeting is crucial to it’s success.

There is no point trying to solve a problem with a key department not represented or trying to agree expenditure without the budget holder there. Think about what you are trying to achieve and who you need to help you.