9 More Tips For Effective Meetings
Implementing these tips for effective meetings will help you to organise and/or facilitate more effective meetings, which is an essential skill for Personal Assistants. 1) For better meeting management discuss sensitive issues with the key participants before the meeting. Use this as an opportunity to listen and gather information on the issues. From this you will understand the different views, needs, and histories. This information can help you prepare the agenda and conduct the meeting. In addition, you may be able to facilitate solutions or strategies before the meeting. In either case, it will result in a more effective meeting. 2) Where possible, only invite those who can contribute to 50 percent of the items on the agenda. For business meetings lasting more than an hour, participants should only be invited to the part of the meeting related to their contribution. You can send copies of the minutes to anyone who might otherwise have been invited. 3) If you are invited to a meeting where there is no agenda, or the agenda is vague, find out what role you are expected to play, or why you are needed at the meeting? If the impact you will have on the meeting is minor, politely decline and suggest another participate. Your time is probably better spent on other tasks. This point is particularly important for Personal Assistants who accept meeting requests on their principal's behalf. Some meetings are low-level meetings where decisions can be made at a less senior level, so it's better to send a delegate. 4) When the chairperson allows the meeting to drift significantly, politely ask or remind participants what the meeting is suppose to achieve - this is why a meeting agenda is so important. 5) If a meeting decends into chaos, suggest adjourning and reconvening at a later time. This will allow time for goals to be clarified and strategies to be prepared. 6) Paraphrase key points. This ensures that everyone has the same understanding of the key point. Although this is one of the chairperson’s responsibilities, it can be filled by anyone in the meeting. 7) Prepare a list of questions, ideas and suggestions before the meeting. This will help to focus your mind on the issues and help you to get the most out of the discussion. 8) Observe the listeners instead of the speaker. Their faces and body language will tell you whether they agree or disagree with what is being said. This will help to guide your participation in the discussion. 9) Work with a sense of appropriate urgency. Circulate an agenda and use it to guide the meeting. Spend extra time only when an issue warrants it. For more advice on effective meetings click here. For advice on how to organise your boss click here.
We offer PA coaching and mentoring services. There are many reasons why a PA would opt for PA mentoring. If you are new to the PA profession, or have been recently promoted to work for Directors, you will benefit from the guiding hand of a PA mentor. There's no such thing as too much information; every PA develops there own systems and approach to tasks, but two heads are better than one, so I'm happy to coach you and give you the benefit of my experience. Your Coach and mentor will be Marguerita King, owner of this website and former Senior Personal Assistant. Marguerita has a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, A diploma in Personal Assistance, and is a Fellow of the Association of Personal Assistants (APA). Contact Us using our contact form or call us on +44 (0)7771 648521.
Contact us to discuss other methods of payment Go to Virtual NetMeetings Go to Interactive White Boards
MacSPEECH - Dictate to your Mac
Find out why over 11
million people are using eFax to fax. Fax by email. Free trial.
Unlimited calls to
landlines with Skype – any time, day or night. No long-term contract.
EFFECTIVE INFLUENCING SKILLS WITH CONVERSATIONAL HYPNOSIS NEED ANSWERS TO DIFFICULT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS?Preparation is the key to interview success, so prepare to succeed. Click here for a Guide to Interview Questions. IMPROVE YOUR EXCEL SKILLS EMAIL ADDRESS REVERSE FINDER WANT TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE? FAT LOSS FOR IDIOTS - LOSE 9LBS EVERY 11 DAYS DIETER GOURMET COOKBOOK
SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
|
