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to help you:
1. United States of
America's primary source
on career info:
www.onetcenter.org
2. Wage Estimates Bureau
of Labor and Statistics
3. Organize Your Job
Search - Post a Question
etc.: www.cvtips.com
4. Starting Over After
Divorce:
www.womansdivorce.com
5. Starting Over for
Women:
www.makingbreadmagazine
.com
6. Self Improvement:
www.selfgrowth.com.
7. Job Postings, Resume
Advice and Resources:
www.careerbuiler.com
8. Templates for: business
plans, competitive analysis,
start up costs and more:
www.score.org/business_tool
box.html
9. Federal/Sate/Local
Government jobs:
www.USAJOBS.com
Articles
12 Steps to Lead a Killer Productive Meeting
How many times have you been to a meeting where everyone got their
opinions out on the table but nothing was decided? Or how many recurring
meetings have you sat through where you wished you could have been
excused because even if you were to express an opinion, nothing would
change?
We’ve all been there. I’ve worked with managers who have planed for their
direct reports to page them out of meetings. I’ve seen telephone
conferences purposefully scheduled at the same time as a meetings. I’ve
witnessed people repeatedly bringing work to monthly information meetings
because they’ve found them to be more of a “show and tell” session than
highlighting what is mission critical and why it is important.
The main reason that meetings are not productive is because the group
framework is not effective and the facilitator cannot move the meeting toward
a predetermined purpose.
A Group Framework
Organizational culture plays a big role in the effectiveness of its meetings.
Organizational culture refers to a set of values and beliefs that members of
the organization share and that guide their behavior. Is the environment one
in which everyone understands the mission and the vision of the
organization? Are the core values of the organization exemplified everyday
by its executive leadership? Group culture refers to the set of values and
beliefs that are shared by the group. A group’s culture may differ from the
organization’s culture because of the demographic and professions of the
group’s members but a group will be more effective if the organizational
culture is supportive.
Values and beliefs must be lived by everyone within the organization or the
culture turns cynical. It is one thing to say that an organization values
accountability and respect and another if members of the executive team are
not visible in the organization and do not show compassion for their
colleagues or customers.
A Clear Mission and Vision for the Group
Just as an organization has a mission and a vision for it to be effective so
must a group. The mission of the group answers the question, “Why do we
exist?” The group’s vision is a mental picture of the future the group seeks
to create. So the mission of a monthly information meeting might be “To
inform the management staff on the key indicators of the business while
recognizing outstanding performance and enlisting their input in a specific
action plan for areas that need attention.” Then people go away from the
meeting understanding the specifics of what is going right and have helped
define how to fix what is not. The vision might be that “At every meeting the
group will evaluate whether or not to continue with its existing action items or
modify them. Additionally the group will determine what new action needs to
occur to improve on (a specific measure.)”
From a more strategic perspective a group may not understand what
philosophical direction to take an organization. So instead of just having a
discussion around this topic that may go in circles the group’s mission may
be to decide what direction to take to best meet the mission of the
organization as a whole. The group’s vision might be to become a
recognized leader in a certain industry within two years. The meeting’s
agenda may begin with a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats) to evaluate the current state of situation before
making a plan.
The Facilitator
The role of the facilitator is key in determining the outcome of a meeting. A
strong facilitator will see him or herself as a third party unless he/she is also
an expert on the topic and will need to give relevant input. If the facilitator is
also an expert, he or she will need to note when his or her comments are
from outside the facilitator role. Most of the role will be facilitating. The
facilitator will work with key people before the meeting to determine the
mission and vision of the meeting as well as the agenda for pre-distribution,
who will attend, who will take minutes, the meeting start and end times and
the appropriate follow up. At the onset of the meeting the facilitator will
establish the ground rules for the meeting such as: no idea is a bad idea;
everyone can openly disagree but opinions must be expressed with the
reasoning behind the assumption; the goal is to identify gaps or problems in
a theory; and meeting end time. When the meeting is over, the facilitator
clearly reiterates: who will take ownership of the actionable decisions that
were made from the input of the group; when the next meeting will be; and
what the deliverables are for that meeting. Try unconventional methods to
gain enthusiasm. Hold short meetings standing up. Start at an
unconventional time that is not on a quarter hour increment – such as 8:47 a.
m.
Good meeting facilitation means making the fewest and smallest inferential
leaps possible. An inference is a conclusion you reach on something you
may have observed. A low level inference might be to ask someone who
has made a comment to validate it with why they feel that way. A high level
inference might be to point out that they do not seem to care what other
people think. Stay with the low-level inferences.
12 Steps to Lead a Killer Productive Meeting:
1.) Define the meeting mission (purpose) and vision (future view).
2.) Define the meeting facilitator and who will take minutes.
3.) Define who will attend the meeting – consider representation from all
parties needed to define and implement any decisions as well as who
would be affected.
4.) Define the meeting start and end times.
5.) Define and pre-distribute the agenda that should include the meeting
mission and vision, any relevant reports, start and end times, and attendees.
6.) At the beginning of the meeting welcome everyone and if people in the
room do not know each other do a round table self-introduction.
7.) State the ground rules of the meeting such as: this is a safe
environment; no idea is a bad idea; everyone can openly disagree but
opinions must be expressed with the reasoning behind them; the goal is
define which ideas have the best chance to succeed.
8.) Work though the agenda items inviting a dialogue of views and creative
scenarios.
9.) Write the ideas (not the names of who created them) on a chart visible by
all. Gather consensus on which ideas have the least gaps and the greatest
chance to succeed.
10.) If follow up information is needed or if a decision has been made
assign an accountable party to execute and bring a report back to the group.
11.) Review the action items with the group and set those deliverable items
at the beginning of the next meeting’s agenda.
12.) Thank everyone for their participation.
Effective meetings require planning, a healthy culture, a purpose and good
leadership. Start now!
Email this to a friend who may appreciate the advice. Follow Mary Lee’s tips
on Twitter at StartingOverNow.
For the FREE Worksheets: “Begin With the End in Mind and Sketch that
Vision on Paper” and “SMART Goals” go to Mary Lee's Articles and Tips
Sheets page.
Mary Lee Gannon is a personal turnaround, leadership and productivity
expert who went from being a stay-at-home mother with four children living a
country club life to the reality of a difficult marriage, divorce, homelessness,
and welfare. As a guest speaker, she demonstrates how she went from an
earning capacity of $27,000 to president and CEO. Her book "Starting Over -
25 Rules for When You've Bottomed Out" is available in bookstores and
online. Email Mary Lee at info@StartingOverNow.com.
How many times have you been to a meeting where everyone got their
opinions out on the table but nothing was decided? Or how many recurring
meetings have you sat through where you wished you could have been
excused because even if you were to express an opinion, nothing would
change?
We’ve all been there. I’ve worked with managers who have planed for their
direct reports to page them out of meetings. I’ve seen telephone
conferences purposefully scheduled at the same time as a meetings. I’ve
witnessed people repeatedly bringing work to monthly information meetings
because they’ve found them to be more of a “show and tell” session than
highlighting what is mission critical and why it is important.
The main reason that meetings are not productive is because the group
framework is not effective and the facilitator cannot move the meeting toward
a predetermined purpose.
A Group Framework
Organizational culture plays a big role in the effectiveness of its meetings.
Organizational culture refers to a set of values and beliefs that members of
the organization share and that guide their behavior. Is the environment one
in which everyone understands the mission and the vision of the
organization? Are the core values of the organization exemplified everyday
by its executive leadership? Group culture refers to the set of values and
beliefs that are shared by the group. A group’s culture may differ from the
organization’s culture because of the demographic and professions of the
group’s members but a group will be more effective if the organizational
culture is supportive.
Values and beliefs must be lived by everyone within the organization or the
culture turns cynical. It is one thing to say that an organization values
accountability and respect and another if members of the executive team are
not visible in the organization and do not show compassion for their
colleagues or customers.
A Clear Mission and Vision for the Group
Just as an organization has a mission and a vision for it to be effective so
must a group. The mission of the group answers the question, “Why do we
exist?” The group’s vision is a mental picture of the future the group seeks
to create. So the mission of a monthly information meeting might be “To
inform the management staff on the key indicators of the business while
recognizing outstanding performance and enlisting their input in a specific
action plan for areas that need attention.” Then people go away from the
meeting understanding the specifics of what is going right and have helped
define how to fix what is not. The vision might be that “At every meeting the
group will evaluate whether or not to continue with its existing action items or
modify them. Additionally the group will determine what new action needs to
occur to improve on (a specific measure.)”
From a more strategic perspective a group may not understand what
philosophical direction to take an organization. So instead of just having a
discussion around this topic that may go in circles the group’s mission may
be to decide what direction to take to best meet the mission of the
organization as a whole. The group’s vision might be to become a
recognized leader in a certain industry within two years. The meeting’s
agenda may begin with a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats) to evaluate the current state of situation before
making a plan.
The Facilitator
The role of the facilitator is key in determining the outcome of a meeting. A
strong facilitator will see him or herself as a third party unless he/she is also
an expert on the topic and will need to give relevant input. If the facilitator is
also an expert, he or she will need to note when his or her comments are
from outside the facilitator role. Most of the role will be facilitating. The
facilitator will work with key people before the meeting to determine the
mission and vision of the meeting as well as the agenda for pre-distribution,
who will attend, who will take minutes, the meeting start and end times and
the appropriate follow up. At the onset of the meeting the facilitator will
establish the ground rules for the meeting such as: no idea is a bad idea;
everyone can openly disagree but opinions must be expressed with the
reasoning behind the assumption; the goal is to identify gaps or problems in
a theory; and meeting end time. When the meeting is over, the facilitator
clearly reiterates: who will take ownership of the actionable decisions that
were made from the input of the group; when the next meeting will be; and
what the deliverables are for that meeting. Try unconventional methods to
gain enthusiasm. Hold short meetings standing up. Start at an
unconventional time that is not on a quarter hour increment – such as 8:47 a.
m.
Good meeting facilitation means making the fewest and smallest inferential
leaps possible. An inference is a conclusion you reach on something you
may have observed. A low level inference might be to ask someone who
has made a comment to validate it with why they feel that way. A high level
inference might be to point out that they do not seem to care what other
people think. Stay with the low-level inferences.
12 Steps to Lead a Killer Productive Meeting:
1.) Define the meeting mission (purpose) and vision (future view).
2.) Define the meeting facilitator and who will take minutes.
3.) Define who will attend the meeting – consider representation from all
parties needed to define and implement any decisions as well as who
would be affected.
4.) Define the meeting start and end times.
5.) Define and pre-distribute the agenda that should include the meeting
mission and vision, any relevant reports, start and end times, and attendees.
6.) At the beginning of the meeting welcome everyone and if people in the
room do not know each other do a round table self-introduction.
7.) State the ground rules of the meeting such as: this is a safe
environment; no idea is a bad idea; everyone can openly disagree but
opinions must be expressed with the reasoning behind them; the goal is
define which ideas have the best chance to succeed.
8.) Work though the agenda items inviting a dialogue of views and creative
scenarios.
9.) Write the ideas (not the names of who created them) on a chart visible by
all. Gather consensus on which ideas have the least gaps and the greatest
chance to succeed.
10.) If follow up information is needed or if a decision has been made
assign an accountable party to execute and bring a report back to the group.
11.) Review the action items with the group and set those deliverable items
at the beginning of the next meeting’s agenda.
12.) Thank everyone for their participation.
Effective meetings require planning, a healthy culture, a purpose and good
leadership. Start now!
Email this to a friend who may appreciate the advice. Follow Mary Lee’s tips
on Twitter at StartingOverNow.
For the FREE Worksheets: “Begin With the End in Mind and Sketch that
Vision on Paper” and “SMART Goals” go to Mary Lee's Articles and Tips
Sheets page.
Mary Lee Gannon is a personal turnaround, leadership and productivity
expert who went from being a stay-at-home mother with four children living a
country club life to the reality of a difficult marriage, divorce, homelessness,
and welfare. As a guest speaker, she demonstrates how she went from an
earning capacity of $27,000 to president and CEO. Her book "Starting Over -
25 Rules for When You've Bottomed Out" is available in bookstores and
online. Email Mary Lee at info@StartingOverNow.com.
StartingOverNow.com
Articles
| Mary Lee Gannon is interviewed on Mind Your BIZness |
FREE e-book.
Get Mary Lee's FREE
e-book "Make Your
Wheel of Fortune
Spin on Balance" by
clicking here. Mary Lee
Gannon's work as a
newspaper reporter,
trade association
executive director,
public relations
consultant,
entrepreneur, and
hospital foundation
president and CEO are
the basis for her free
e-newsletter with tips on
"Starting Over."
Get Mary Lee's FREE
e-book "Make Your
Wheel of Fortune
Spin on Balance" by
clicking here. Mary Lee
Gannon's work as a
newspaper reporter,
trade association
executive director,
public relations
consultant,
entrepreneur, and
hospital foundation
president and CEO are
the basis for her free
e-newsletter with tips on
"Starting Over."
People who use the
FREE resources on
this site are:
* Starting over in
their career or
personal life
* Empty nesters
* Entrepreneurs
* Networking
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* Starting all over
again
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divorce
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opportunities
* Seeking FREE
career advice and
education
* Finding mentors
* Setting new life
goals
To chart your road
map to success
click here for FREE
"Worksheets and
Articles."
FREE resources on
this site are:
* Starting over in
their career or
personal life
* Empty nesters
* Entrepreneurs
* Networking
* Job Seekers
* Starting all over
again
* Going through a
divorce
* Looking for career
opportunities
* Seeking FREE
career advice and
education
* Finding mentors
* Setting new life
goals
To chart your road
map to success
click here for FREE
"Worksheets and
Articles."
Mary Lee Gannon's
Book "Starting Over"
will be released in
November of 2009.
Look for it in stores or
order it from
Amazon.com.
Book "Starting Over"
will be released in
November of 2009.
Look for it in stores or
order it from
Amazon.com.
Follow Mary Lee's tips
and information on these
Social Networking sites:
and information on these
Social Networking sites:
’)Productivity and Leadership with a Healthy Life Balance
Make It Fun = Get More Done!
Whether your company is in need of better productivity from your workforce, or
you want to build a better network, are starting over, are an empty nester
re-entering the workforce, have been laid-off, or are going through a divorce
there is information here to help you! Learn to take your interests and channel
them into productive goals on a fast track. Reach out of your comfort zone to
achieve proven and practical strategies for success. We invite you to share your
insight, take advantage of the resources here, challenge yourself, and continue
to develop and grow.
For the FREE StartingOverNow E-newsletter, or to contact Mary Lee simply send
an email to: info@startingovernow.com. Share your story.
Make It Fun = Get More Done!
Whether your company is in need of better productivity from your workforce, or
you want to build a better network, are starting over, are an empty nester
re-entering the workforce, have been laid-off, or are going through a divorce
there is information here to help you! Learn to take your interests and channel
them into productive goals on a fast track. Reach out of your comfort zone to
achieve proven and practical strategies for success. We invite you to share your
insight, take advantage of the resources here, challenge yourself, and continue
to develop and grow.
For the FREE StartingOverNow E-newsletter, or to contact Mary Lee simply send
an email to: info@startingovernow.com. Share your story.