Your Hidden Agenda
Has your life been overtaken by meetings? People always tell me that meetings take up so much of their day that they don't ever feel they are accomplishing anything. Additionally they complain that the meetings they do attend are a waste of time. If meeting overload is an issue for you (or your boss or spouse) share this tip to help make the most of any meeting.
When you are invited to a meeting, ask yourself these questions:
1. Do you NEED to attend this meeting? Why were you invited and what are you expected to contribute?
2. Do YOU need to attend this meeting? Is there someone else who could represent you at the meeting?
3. What are YOUR goals for this meeting? Do you hope to glean some new info, get support for a project, etc?
4. What do YOU expect to contribute to this meeting? How will the meeting be enhanced by your presence?
5. If you decline to attend the meeting will there be repercussions? And how will you find out what happened in your absence?
Once you decide to attend, take a couple of minutes prior to the meeting to strategize your meeting game plan and a couple of minutes directly following the meeting to assess the outcomes. You can use this template to insure that any meeting is successful for YOU!
- Meeting date and time
- Purpose of meeting
- My goals for the meeting
- What actually transpired at the meeting?
- How did I contribute to the meeting?
- What is my next action item based on the meeting?
- Do I need to attend the next meeting - why/why not?
Make the most of your time during a busy workday. Create YOUR OWN agenda to help focus on YOUR GOALS and give you A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. Maybe you will even look forward to your next meeting!
Have a great day!
Tracy Knofla
Featured Consultant
High Impact Training
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PS. Feel free to share this with your friends and colleagues