How to Hold a Meeting

November 28, 2017

We have all attended meetings, sometimes ad nauseum.  It’s funny, now, that when I commenced my business career, I wanted to attend meetings so badly!  When I heard others were in a meeting, there was a wee bit of jealousy in me.  When I was able to say I couldn’t do something because I had a meeting, I loved it!

After attending, and holding, a plethora of meetings in my career, I created a short seminar about how to hold a meeting.  The response was fabulous and one attendee contacted me after to say it changed his work life, thus his personal life.  I hope that’s true.  So, below are some of the key points from that seminar.

• Only have a meeting if there is a good reason. If it is just to be an encourager, you can do that without a meeting.  If it is to distribute information, ask if you could achieve the same result with an email.  If you’re ready to say it won’t be read – that’s a leadership issue.  It is your employee’s responsibility to read what you send them.
• Have a start time and end time and hold fast to both. Even if you’re speaking to an empty room, start on time.  When people show up and ask about items they missed, the responsibility is on them.  Do not repeat yourself.  You’re not a babysitter.  The ending time will have your members encouraging one another to get to the point so they can have their turn.
• Allow sufficient time for everything on your written agenda, but keep it as short as possible. Do not allow rabbit trails.
• Put your most important topics first.
• I recommend not providing food and drink. Not even coffee. It encourages socializing and that’s not the point of your meeting.
• End the meeting on time, even if all the topics aren’t covered. You can choose to address them in an email after as they were the least important tasks.
• Schedule something, maybe a phone call, immediately after your meeting so you can’t be detained.

I believe you’ll find your meetings more efficient.  You will also find yourself to be a better time manager.  You will be able to schedule your other work immediately after meetings and encourage others to do the same.  Dispel the notion of hanging around after meetings and get everyone back to work.  Enjoy the freedom that comes from running a meeting well.

Lindy is a Consultant, Speaker, and Author.  With 30 years of experience Lindy is available to help you and your company be more successful. Call her at 770-912-6192 today.

Are You the Difficult One?

November 21, 2017

In every group, there is an order of greatest to least.  Even if everyone in a group is fabulous, if you put everyone in order, by definition there has to be a least.  Are you it?  More importantly, are you it in every group?

Nobody wants to be THAT person, but in truth, we all have been at some point.  Some people seem to enjoy that place and intentionally stay there, possibly by being the person who always has to make a pun, or be judgmental.  Below are some questions to help you discern if you are THAT person.

Do you always, always, always have to add to the conversation?  Is it possible for a question to be raised when you do not share your opinion?

When you do share, do you make it all about you?  Even in social situations, do you have to be the main event?

Maybe you don’t have to address every question, but when you do, do you HAVE TO be the first to contribute? Do you find others waiting for you to finish so they can speak?

Have you ever noticed somebody roll their eyes when you begin?  That’s a bad sign.

Have you heard about events after they’ve happened, with an apology that you were overlooked?  Ouch. It’s possible you weren’t overlooked, you were intentionally skipped.

Please do not be paranoid by these questions.  The vast majority of people are wonderful the majority of the time.  Still, we all know people we avoid if we see them coming.  If you don’t want to be on that list, review the list above and determine to be the opposite of everything discussed.

Feel free to share your opinion, but sparingly.  Definitely take part in dialogues, but don’t monopolize conversations and meetings.  Be quick to seek out others thoughts and truly value others’ opinions.  You’ll never be THAT person again.

Lindy is a Consultant, Speaker, and Author.  With 30 years of experience Lindy is available to help you and your company be more successful. Call her at 770-912-6192 today.

New Leadership Skills

November 14, 2017

When there’s a new sheriff in town, things may change.  If you’re the new sheriff, even if you remain in your same position but with a new attitude, you can create and control those changes.  What an opportunity!

Leadership theories have abounded since Cain and Abel failed to get along, to the great detriment of Abel.  Different methods, often with cute acronyms, have abounded for decades.  Below, without any gimmicks, are some leadership rules that are in vogue.

1. Take responsibility.  You are the one in charge.  Act like it – when things go well, take a bow and move on.  When things go poorly, accept it, learn from it, and move on.
2. Communicate well. People want to know where you stand so they know where they stand.  Do not make people look foolish by saying different things every other day or, even worse, just saying what your audience wants to hear.
3. Be true to your word. If you say you’re going to do something, then do it. It doesn’t matter if it’s popular or not.  If it truly becomes beyond your ability to follow through, refer to #1 above.

We could add don’t spend (time, money, or employee resources) more than you have, but that’s within number one, being responsible.  We could say don’t make promises you can’t keep, but that’s within number three.

What is not here is that you need to listen to every person who has an opinion.  Or that you need to validate every idea that crosses your desk.  If you are following rule number two, and communicating well, the senseless ideas should stop and you are more than willing to entertain positive ideas.  Giving everyone a raise or bonus based on the actions of one or a few is not on the list of new leadership skills because it is not good leadership – it is the equivalent of a participation trophy.  If the entire company is responsible for growth and success, by all means reward everyone, but there is a reason the CEO makes more money than a Manager – more responsibility, more experience and knowledge, and more risk.  It’s how life works.

So there you have it, three simple new vogue leadership skills. The funny thing is, these are old skills from which we’ve wandered away.  Return to your roots.  They are life-nourishing.

Lindy is a Consultant, Speaker, and Author.  With 30 years of experience Lindy is available to help you and your company be more successful. Call her at 770-912-6192 today.

Never Hide the Truth

November 7, 2017

The title may have stirred old memories from childhood, of wanting to hide the truth – maybe you said or did something and were feeling sorry for it, and you didn’t want the truth to be known.  As adults, we all know the best response would have been to fess up and face the consequences.  Also, it was better to do so immediately, because the imagined horrors were often worse than the actual repercussions.

In today’s truth, in both personal and professional lives, it remains better to face the music rather than try to hide information.  If it’s something you’ve done wrong, sincerely apologize and do your best to make amends.  If it’s something you didn’t do but should have, again apologize and do your best to make amends.

What I want to point out, though, is when you have nothing to fear, yet may choose to hide the truth.  For instance, success.  Some people are intimidated by others’ success.  So, I’ve seen people downplay their victories, or make light of them, rather than accepting the accolades they worked to receive.  All that work, yet there they are, tossing it off as nothing.  Don’t hide the truth!

When it comes to intelligence, I’ve learned you can’t hide it for long in either direction.  Someone may use a grand lexicon or memorize statistics to make themselves sound brilliant, but the truth will out (with thanks to William Shakespeare).  It’s okay to not be the smartest person in the room, but don’t pretend to be.

Last winter I had some friends over, and one friend brought along his 32 year old son.  This boy (and yes, I intentionally chose this word), was so impressed with himself that I didn’t need to be impressed with him – he was impressed enough for both of us.  During the course of the afternoon, he announced that he’s often the most intelligent person of the people he meets.  I didn’t say it, but I did think:  he wasn’t even the most intelligent person in the room that day, and there were five of us at the time.  His lack of intelligence (and humility) were showing.  The funny thing is that his father is very humble and very intelligent.

In reverse, if you’re intelligent, don’t try to hide it!  Now, that doesn’t mean you need to discuss science and math at a level above everyone’s head, but don’t shy away from a question when you know the answer.  Don’t pretend to not be brilliant.  The truth, again, will out (still Shakespeare).  If you pretend to be less intelligent, it shows, and may come across as condescending, and you don’t want that!

So, be who you are. If you’re 5’11”, don’t pretend to be six feet.  It’s not a big deal to anyone but you, and it shouldn’t matter to you.  If you have a degree, that’s fine, but it’s just as good if you don’t – don’t muddle the truth of it.  I met a man recently who claimed a college degree, but he didn’t have one.  His lack of honesty said so much more than his lack of a formal education.  I can deal with one but not the other.  Really, if you’ll lie about something that can be easily proven or disproven, what can I believe from you?  Very little.

Now, if you don’t like the truth, such as your job or your marital status, then set about changing it.  But don’t revise the truth, don’t amplify the truth, and don’t hide the truth.

 

Lindy is a Speaker and Author.  With 30 years of experience Lindy is available to help you and your company be more successful. Call her at 770-912-6192 today.

Are You Walking or Crawling?

November 2017

Why crawl once you can walk?  Have you ever seen a toddler, who is toddling (thus can walk), drop down and crawl?  Why?  I can think of a few reasons, as I see this when I work in the nursery at church:  Speed… confidence… focus.  He knows what he wants and he knows the best and fastest way to get there.  In walking he is testing each step, uncertain and trepidatious.

There are times in life when we need to walk tall and other times when it might be better to drop and crawl.  Can you think of any examples?

As a new Christian, like many others, I was on fire for the Lord.  I wanted to shout the news to everyone I met.  In some cases, mostly with other Christians, this was great.  With other people, I often shot myself in the foot.  What I thought, and continue to think, is the greatest news ever, others don’t always want to hear.  So, there are times that now, rather than running forward screaming and shouting, I have discerned that it is better to walk with head raised, or maybe walk tall (I am, after all, a princess of the King) but maybe with head lowered – just to keep my head from being bashed in.  Sometimes I’ve even learned to crawl.

For instance, just recently I was having a conversation with a gentleman who eschews organized churches.  That’s fine.  But as we spoke, I realized that he believes in Salvation by parents choosing to have you sprinkled.  Yes, there are churches that teach if you christen a baby, that seals the baby for heaven.  It doesn’t matter what the child does or doesn’t do in life, it matters not whether they ever learn about the Lord, His Son, or the Holy Spirit.  They were sprinkled, therefore they are heaven bound.  If only it were that simple!

I quickly realized that I needed to crawl around him.  I asked some questions and made a few comments, then withdrew.  I will need to crawl slowly and steadily, praying continuously for the Lord to provide me the right timing and the right words, and for his heart to be open to Biblical truths.

Other times, however, I have not only walked, I have almost strutted.  Recently I was a speaker at a Christian event.  I don’t know why, but some gentleman chose to give me a hard time before the event.  I don’t think he realized that I was the speaker, and I don’t think he meant any harm, but he was just short of nasty.  Afterwards he came over and apologized to me.  Forgiven.  That fast.  No worries.  However, he then chose to explain that he was just joking.  Nope.  I decided, in a split second, to walk tall.  I gently stopped him, and said, “No, you were being rude.”  I really did.  It took everything I had, but I did it.  His response was humble and fabulous.  He agreed, then said, “Thank you for saying that.  I needed to hear it.”  Wow!

So, when I chose to stand tall, and walk with confidence in Christ, I was rewarded with an amazing moment.  Speak the truth in love, right?

I don’t plan on being that bold all the time, and hope I don’t need to speak like that ever again!  There will be many times when I will choose to crawl, to walk carefully.  Maybe sometimes I’ll toddle, and if I do, I’m sure I’ll fall down.  That’s what happens when learning a new trick – you bobble it.

The one thing I hope I never do is walk bowed over as though afraid.  I have done that.  There have been times when I should have stood up; I should have spoken out; I should have stated the truth in love.  Instead, I have walked away, or hung my head, or kept my mouth shut when, in Christ, I should have spoken up.  I do my best to avoid that, after a lifetime of lessons.

By the way, I realized just yesterday that this Wednesday, November 1, 2017, I will be 35 years old in Christ.  I came to a saving knowledge in 1982 – a lifetime ago.  It remains the single best decision I’ve ever made.  May I walk in the confidence of Jesus’ love for the rest of my life.