Make meetings count

ITEETINGS! How many times lUlhave vou sat throush a meeting wondering why you were there or, even worse, what it was all about? As a manager, you can make your meetings relevant.

Always ask yourself "Is this meeting necessary?" before summoning your employees or fellow workers is the advice of Jack Falvey, a management consultant.

Few managers understand the dynamics of meetings which he defines as the place to ratify and build on decisions already made, not as "an arena for hammering out policies in a group grope environment. "

Meetings must have objectives and each participant must be made aware of the objectives and his role in accomplishing them.

Agendas are essential for worthwhile, productive meetings, but the agenda must be a meticulous plan with advance copies sent to those scheduled to attend the session. Without preparation, it is impossible for those attending to participate efficiently.

"If your last stop before going into a meeting is at the photocopier to run off your agenda, stop right there and either cancel or reschedule the gathering," Falvey says. "What rational manager would undertake a business trip on the spur of the moment without an itinerary or prearranged appointments and a set of

Story at a Glance

Pre-planning essential. . .all participants should contribute .poor organization wastes time...length doesn't indicate quality...fewer meetings are betler.

desired results?" Being satisfied with minimal results from uninformed or hastily informed meeting participants is a gross waste of management time.

Meetings vary according to objective. For example, if the objective of the meeting is to have top salesmen share their techniques with others, it is important that these high performers be recognized as stars at the outset. The meeting should focus on them, giving them the limelight they deserve. They, in turn, should be prepared to make a genuine, well presented contribution to the progr:rm. Give the others attending the opportunity to admire and envy these top salespeople.

A little bit of drama can provide optimum results. This can be the place to recognize accomplishments, making sure that the reward honors the receiver and inspires others to be future recipients. For example, company monogram blazers readily identify the wearer as having the right stuff.

Sales meetings should be relative, say the experts. Some of the things which they feel have been overdone include slide shows, films, meetings longer than three hours, passive oneway sessions of more than 30 minutes and those little exercise breaks to relieve the tedium. Instead, they suggest meetings should concentrate on answering "Why should I listen to this?", "What's in it for me if I do?" and "What should I do as a result of all this?"

Informal sessions following short meetings are recommended for obtaining maximum results. If you hold your sales meeting at a resort or country club type location, allow those attending time to use the recreation facilities. The exchange of ideas on the golf course is often more productive than sitting in a meeting.

Meetings to establish policy or new methods of operation, or to solve problems achieve the best results when attended only by those immediately responsible. Those who are not contributors can be sent copies of the agenda and follow-up results or be called together for a brief informative session. Sitting in a meeting in which you are not a contributor is a waste of time and money.

Avoid meetings whenever possible. Often a formal session is unnecessary if the manager will go onto the sales floor or into the yard to discuss the problem with the personnel involved. Formal settings are not required for productive action.

Parliamentary procedure is a hangup with many managers. Meetings must be orderly, but the meeting which follows a stilted format is not always the meeting which accomplishes the most. Follow the rules necessary for achieving the desired results in the most efficient manner and ignore the rest.

In brief, meetings must have objectives which are well identified and known to all attending. Only people who can contribute should come and they should be well prepared. Avoid making speeches. Communicate. Take action.

Falvey's final word of caution is "Never forget that the Gettysburg address was in fact delivered by Edward Everett, who spoke for one hour on the significance of the event of the day. Lincoln was merely asked to say a few words to close the program."