How to Avoid Meeting Muck

This post was written by Cyndi Maxey a while back, but it remains extremely timely.  The fact is that in light of the many struggles that the meeting industry is having and the numerous challenges that face meeting planners today, her observations and ideas are more valuable than ever.  At a time when holding meetings can be problematic, it is more important than ever to make sure that every event meets expectations and achieves the stated objectives.  With that in mind, read what Cyndi has to be say about avoiding "meeting muck."

Why is it that the most pleasant person in everyday life turns into the most difficult at the monthly meeting? What is it about the Board table that converts team players into silent observers or arrogant warmongers? How do you accurately describe the negative effects of the two-hour conference call-pandemonium?-boredom? These scenarios typify a common, pervasive problem in business and professional life today-meeting muck. Meeting muck is the oozy, slimy, muddy, cloudy, insidious gook that invades even the best-intended meetings and conference calls. It dirties the cleanest of agendas; it drains the most energetic of work relationships-and sadly, slow potential productivity. Meeting muck is exasperating because, like mud after a heavy rain, it seems to return and return no matter how hard you try to eliminate it.

We trainers and developers like to talk about meetings as team efforts, but in the final analysis, a really great meeting is the product of really great individual efforts-mixed with a strong dose of willpower and discipline. The late Chicago Bears' running back Walter Payton said, "You can't change the team until you change yourself." He spoke of football, but it works for meetings, too.

To change yourself, first be aware of the common behaviors that slow down productive communi­cation. Second, recognize when you are the one demonstrating those behaviors. Third, change your style and practice positive, helpful behaviors even in the face of others' inability to do so. This is often difficult. Others on the conference call or around the board table can unknowingly lead you to immature and ineffective comments. Be careful. Take deep breaths. Keep your con­tributions healthy. When you sense muck, carry your own mop. Don't wait for someone else.

10 Common Causes of Meeting Muck & What to Do about Them

1. Agreeing with everything. This sounds like a misnomer but it gets in the way of progress. You're probably trying to save face or politick in some way if you're doing this. Mop-up Tip: Play devil's advocate. Say you'd like to stir-up more discussion by presenting the op­posite point-of-view. Example: "We have good reason to be happy with recent conference attendance; just for fun, though, let's consider what we'd do if next year's economy goes flat and discretionary income changes. I think we should be prepared."

2. Dominating discussion. If you're doing this, you're trying too hard. Listen to yourself; if you hear your own voice longer than a few minutes at a time, you're not practicing conver­sation-you're practicing lecture. Mop-up Tip: Look at the faces around you and watch for signs of unrest-fidgeting, eye-rolling, side glances, etc. When you see these, people are antsy and ready for their turn. Over-use of handouts is another red flag. If you're on a conference call, make a concerted effort to time yourself for three-minute contributions only. Watch your watch. Example: "Here are my three main points about selecting a new vendor for the upgrade. I'm sure many of you have others, and I'd appreciate your consid­eration of these."

3. Side-chatting. This is just poor manners. Sadly, it is observed more and more. As technol­ogy influences our listening ability, we become easily distracted. Too many younger work­ers, especially, think it's OK to sidetrack during business. It just looks and sounds bad, and it's annoying to all. Mop-up Tip: When you have an urge to chat, jot a note in the margin of your handout to remind yourself to do so later. When others try to start side conversa­tions with you, gesture for them to write something down or mouth the word, "Later." Example: Write a note to yourself, such as "Ask Jolene why George isn't here today and why she has a new laptop."

4. Complaining. A meeting is not a venting session unless it is specifically designated as one. The tendency to complain without suggesting or proposing a solution that can be discussed opening is frustrating for all. Mop-up Tip: Don't complain without contributing a solution idea. Example: "My department really got confused during the last IT training session; could we possibly allow more time for the next one?"

5. Digging up dirty laundry. All solutions lie in the present and the future. Dwelling on old mistakes will only muck up the clarity of new ideas. Mop-up Tip: Resist any urge to relive the past. If you must, mention it briefly with an extremely relevant correlation in the pre­sent or future-tied directly to problem-solving. Example: "Three years ago we made that mistake: we focused on our brochure rather than our member needs. What can we learn from that today is to design a brochure that's crisp but very clear about the benefits. We want to make money, not lose it."

6. Allowing too many chiefs. This happens especially to the kindest facilitators and meeting leaders. In the spirit of participation, too many people talk too often with too much power. Mop-up Tip: You don't have to be the leader to help cleanup this one. You can actually say, "Joe is in charge today. I feel we should let him decide the next step." And if you are the leader, you can make a mental note when discussion is getting out of hand. You then need to make a clear statement of control. Example: "It's clear there are many strong opinions here. In the interest of time, I'd like to suggest we go with the original plan and fine-tune the plan at a later date."

7. Displaying anger. The best teams have conflict. The best meetings negotiate through it all the time. However, expressive, hurtful anger clogs up progress. Mop-up Tip: When you feel angry or frustrated, take a deep breath and make an I-Statement as calmly as possible. Example: "When I hear this Board talk about the budget at every decision point, I get frus­trated because I feel we should balance other things with it-like employee satisfaction and lessons learned when we take shortcuts. Is it possible that we can put budget aside for a few minutes to get at other issues?"

8. Making assumptions. This happens at meetings when nobody paraphrases or checks in. Es­pecially on conference calls, this problem pervades. Mop-up Tip: Use paraphrasing and questioning frequently. Example: "What I hear you saying is you're bored with this ap­proach. Am I correct?"

9. Interrupting. This is one of the simplest muck-ups, yet it's one of the hardest to cure. It's just a bad habit. Mop-up Tip: Ask a colleague to say your name out loud each time you interrupt someone at the next meeting. (Make sure others at the meeting know that you're working on this.) Have patience and remember that your speed of thinking and listening may be difference from others' and that you'll never get the main point if you interrupt. You'll only be seen as rude.

10. Prejudging. This will be evident at a meeting where an idea is brought forward and mem­bers pounce on it. Every idea deserves to be aired; often the best plans results from what appear at first to be misdirected ideas. Leaders especially need to be aware of pre-judging and allowing all opinions to be heard-realistically, of course, within the time frame. Mop-up Tip: When you catch yourself jumping too quickly down the throat of an idea, stop and ask an open question instead. Example: "That's interesting, Sally. How do you figure that baby ducks will be a trendy theme for the 2006 sales effort?"

Bonus Tip: Living in the Past. This tendency creeps into a meeting that is overrun with old-timers (old-timers of any age) who have been around too long to accept new ideas and new approaches. You can detect this muck-up easily when you hear these phrases: "We tried that before and it didn't work." Or, "We lost money on that before." Or, "That idea comes up every year." Mop-up Tip: When you hear nay-saying from yourself or others, acknowledge the thought and ask to hear or to be heard anyway. Example: "I appreciate your perspective, Joe. But let's hear the rest of the plan. It might work this time in this economy."

Meeting muck-don't let your meetings get bogged down in it! If you're the leader of facilitator, discuss ground rules like this. Don't let people downplay ground rules. They're important-and to be productive, we need them. Stress the importance of each individual playing along: rules don't work if one or two think they can get by without following them. Soon, the whole group catches on and the muck gets worse. If you use your mop-up techniques consistently, your agenda and your climate will stay clean and healthy.

Cyndi is gifted speaker, insightful trainer, popular author, and experienced communications consultant.  To learn more about the dynamic programs that she delivers or hire her for your next event, check out her page on this website or call Jane today.

Alpha Insights into Surviving this Economy

Wes Ball first shared this article on his website.  Here are his thoughts on the many articles currently being written during these tough times.  Few, however, point to how to create growth. Well, here are nine mistakes that, if avoided, will force you to grow, while your competitors continue languishing and complaining.

Mistake #1: Believing that price discounting will overcome the problem

Discounting only makes things worse. Every time you discount your product, you prove that it really wasn't worth what you originally said it was worth. It takes a lot longer and requires a lot more investment to raise your prices than it does to lower them. So it is worth finding ways to sell why you are worth more rather than taking what looks like the easy way out and cutting prices to try to attract customers.

Mistake #2: Following big companies

I continually wonder why small to medium-sized companies are so infatuated with large companies. Perhaps the fact that I have worked as an employee in two of the largest and have consulted with more than 50 of the Fortune 500 on creating growth helps me keep a more rational view.

The fact is that larger companies are not as profitable, not as flexible, not as nice to work for, and not as capable of creating dramatic growth as smaller companies are. So why do so many smaller companies try to emulate what big companies do?

During tough times most big companies hide out. They cut costs, often eliminating the very things they need to create future growth. They make their employees miserable and demoralized. They make suppliers dislike them. And they generally behave like angry pouting children.

Don't follow that. Use your strengths to be aggressive and visible, while the big guys are hiding. Invest wisely in the things that will make you stronger and more attractive when things turn around. (These things will also make you more attractive now.) Make employees glad they work for you. Make suppliers so happy to work with you that they will turn down calls from larger companies to help you instead. And act like an Alpha - confident, calm, and controlled no matter what the marketplace seems to be doing.

Companies that follow this model invariably take share from their larger competitors.

Mistake #3: Following competitors

Leading is the key to long-term success and greater profitability. Every time you follow what a competitor does, you make that competitor look better than you. You should be looking for something different that you can do that makes you look smarter and better.

Finding that "something different" requires an understanding of what customers really want to buy, not just what they have been forced to buy. You need to discover what will make people feel better about themselves (smarter, more knowledgeable, more appreciated, more powerful, etc.) and what will make them believe that other people think better of them (envied, more attractive, smarter than they, etc.).

Mistake #4: Believing that leadership during tough times comes from the top of the company

Contrary to popular belief, success does not come from the top. Great leadership at the top may make it easier for a company to thrive and grow, but long-term, self-sustaining success comes from much further down the corporate ladder.

The most successful companies of any size know that it is much easier to be successful and to create growth when every employee becomes a leader of positive innovation and growth. The best thing a manager can do is to engender a "leadership" and "innovation" attitude among all employees. They should believe that you want new ideas to lead the company into a leadership position and they should be rewarded for helping that be accomplished.

While other companies are trying to get more out of terrified, demoralized employees during tough times, you should be engendering a more positive attitude of teamwork to move forward.

Mistake #5: Believing that you can't affect change until the new market defines itself

Right now is the best time to invest in growth... before things get better. Why? Because while almost everyone else is holding back, the companies that confidently define what the market will become will be the leaders coming out.

It happens in every recession. But in this one, this may be more true than ever before. Large companies may never be the same after the government has terrified both corporate boards and stock holders with their heavy-handed tactics of government control. Many smaller companies have the opportunity to make huge, sustainable strides right now, while larger competitors are wondering how to even run their companies in the future.

Don't miss this opportunity. Become the definer of the future and you can be its leader.

Mistake #6: Believing that product or technology innovation is the secret to success

Products and technology are the things that you may sell, but they are not what people buy... except when there is no better alternative offered. People want to feel better about themselves. They also want other people to think better of them. You can innovate in these areas for far less investment and greater return on investment than you can with any product or technology innovation.

New products or technology drive entire new markets or business models. These can occasionally create dramatic growth, if sufficient investment in made. Innovation in helping people feel better about themselves and better about how others think of them is far less cost intensive and drives far greater ROI more consistently.

Mistake #7: Believing that you must improve on product quality or performance to demand a higher price

Actually, most of the highest-priced products in the world are not superior in either quality or performance. People prefer to buy ego-satisfaction above function. In fact, in my 15 years of research into how to create dramatic, self-sustaining success, I discovered that people will pay almost anything to feel better about themselves and to make other people think better of them... even when the product or service being offered is of lower quality or performance than competitive products. At least as long as "minimum" functionality is provided.

Harley-Davidson, Victoria's Secret, Mercedes, Tiffany's, and John Deere are just a few of the Alpha companies I studied that sell more for higher prices despite lower quality or performance than many competitors.

You can sell more by innovating to provide greater ego-satisfaction than by innovating to create greater functionality.

Mistake #8: Believing that cost-side management alone can save you from trouble in a tough economy

You can't "save" your way to sustainable success or growth. Cost-side management has created many spectacular failures, but revenue-side management has always been the key to real growth.

If you wish to grow (especially with sustainable growth), you must focus upon the revenue-generation side. And right now is a better opportunity for revenue-side growth than there was two years ago. Customers still have needs, even if they may be looking for things to put off until later. The winners will be those who address the most burning needs with believable promises of ego AND functional needs satisfaction.

Mistake #9: Believing that growth cannot occur during tough economic times

While the press and other media focus upon the failures and the reasons for fear, there are a few companies in almost every product or service category that will create sustainable growth without discounting during a recession. There is no better time for significant, sustainable changes to occur in markets and product categories than during an economic downturn.

This is your chance, so take advantage of it.

When the marketplace gets tough, all that means is that someone has a chance to define a new future for the category. If it's not you, then it's someone else who you will end up having to follow once things get better. If you're happy with following behind someone else, picking up whatever is left over, then ignore everything I've said. However, if you want to take control of your market or category and make others follow your lead, then avoid these nine mistakes and watch yourself grow.

To better understand how to overcome these nine mistakes and grow your business regardless of the economy, hire Wes ... or start the process by reading his book, The Alpha Factor - a revolutionary new look at what really creates market dominance and self-sustaining success. Available through any online bookstore.