Managers - meeting tips?

[booker81]

Since you guys give me such good advise on my job stuff

My TL has "given" me two meetings to either run or represent our department in. Both of them involve upper management, both are weekly status meetings. I have to run one that is regarding a new system we are creating and I'm testing. The second I have to represent our department and advise of status on testing for legal stuff.

I'm not very good an doing these, but it is something I need to learn to do, and want to be better at. So far, I just research the status of all the issues and what's going on, and put that in an outline and go through it. It's doesn't seem to "flow" well, and well, again, I'm not very good at heading meetings. My TL knows this, and knows I would like to improve my meeting skills, and that's why she put these in my lap.

So....any tips or ideas on how to run a meeting with confidence and flow? They are 5-10 people in the meetings, I'm probably the lowest on the pole of everyone in the room job wise, but they are all good people and I enjoy working with them. I usually have answers when asked a question, but I don't have the right layout to figure out what I should say so they don't have to question, if that makes sense.

Any online resources that are good for coordinating meetings?

Help?

 

[debilorrah]

I would start with an agenda that lists each point to be discussed and the person responsible for that task next to the item. Example:

Random Trips/Section 15...........................................................D. Raymond

ITS Phase II............................................................................... D. FLowers

New Facility Progress Report...................................................... K. Kane

These are from our weekly meeting with our Operations contractor. This way yoou RUN the meeting but don't have to talk about everything. It also gives everyone else a chance to ask questions to the person responsible for the task.

And if people start to go off on tangents, you raise your voice and say "Anything else on Random Trips or are we moving on?"

 

[DuckLady]

An agenda is a great tool.

At our more informal non profit committee meetings, I just say "Ok ok ok, no off topic discussion. We all want to go home sometime before dawn" when things get outta hand. Oh and we have a gavel to pound with.

 

[booker81]

I want a gavel!!!

The meetings I've attended don't seem to go off point too much, it's more the "dead air" that I don't like

Most of the upper management folks are overbooked already, so the sooner meetings get done, the happier they are so they can actually get to their office instead of right back to another meeting.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I have a cousin who started his own company. They have a great rule about meetings. All meetings can last exactly one hour. At the hour point they have to stand up and cannot sit back down until the meeting is over. He figures anything they need to discuss can be finished in an hour.

I have repeatedly suggested that our faculty meetings be held at the local mexican place. The rule would be that no one can eat or drink anything until the meeting is done. Then we can pig out. I figure that the meetings would last maybe 10 minutes before we can't stand the allure of chips and salsa. It certainly would be more fun that the regular meetings.

 

[sfw2]

Have you asked your TL for advice, too? A lot of companies have a meeting agenda "template" available, which you can use to help manage your meetings.

Your manager and TL are giving you opportunities to grow in your position. They should also be providing you with the tools, and mentoring you to help you succeed.

 

[Junkmanme]

1. Tell them what it is that you intend to tell them.
2. Then tell it to them.
3. Tell them WHAT it is that you have told them.
4. Open it up for questions.
5. MOST IMPORTANT - Don't be Negative ! Always accentuate the Positive.

It's a simple, yet efficient, way to go.

 

[booker81]

Quote:
If I ask for the tools they'll give them, it's just finding out what to ask for! They are very hands off, and the first day, told me and the other person I hired in with that it's sink or swim - they do not hand hold, but if you ask, they will help with that. They aren't going to train or micromanage, but will be open to questions. They also don't have much time, which is why I was given these two meetings - as a trial I believe.

I'm going to see if I can find a meeting agenda, I know I've seen one before.


I'll ask my manager if she can give me 15 mins today sometime to meet and go over some of the questions I've asked here, like, how can I encourage participation? One of the meetings is to verify the users (managers for that particular area) are ok with the changes and whatnot. It's a system, so it's hard to describe sometimes what it does. How can I get that easier to explain so I can get the feedback I need to proceed with testing?

You guys rock!

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Didn't you say you were mild asperger's?? Or something like that??

You are perfect for IT stuff it is the integration to users that becomes a challenge. Can you come back on tomorrow? I want to ask some one else if she has a template...... This person designes IT programs for a fortune 500 and "translation" from IT to user is her specialty.

As for running meetngs? Agenda's are a must but so is a clear plan in your head about what the goal of the meeting is. What is going to be accomplished? What information needs to get to which people? Who has the information? Who needs it? What decisions need to be made by meetings end? State your goals call on the people who have the info to share it, call specifically on the people who need the info to ask questions and confirm they understand what they have heard. Give deadlines for further questions (as in you cannot wait a week and then say you have a major question about a project another group is working on when they have spent another week going down a path you are now saying is wrong.) Give deadlines for updates and progress reports. Or ask them to state them for themselves so everyone else knows when to expect the data.

When you are reporting to higher ups ask yourself - what do they need to know? What do they want to hear? How much of these actually match? Don't complain if you can't offer a solution. I tell employees don't B***** if you can't pitch a better idea.

Believe it or not word has a meeting agenda template.

 

[sfw2]

My department provides the content support for our company's website. Can you get a laptop and projector, and do a quick demonstration to show users what to expect, rather than trying to explain it to them?