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Poll

Meeting Tip: Always Bring Something To The Table

 

 

Think of your work meetings as a traditional family meal to better contribute to your workplace.


The Centerpiece: CEO
Every table has a decorative centerpiece that generally reflects the time of year (read: mood) that is trying to be set.  While the table can be a metaphor for the company as a whole, the centerpiece is the think that ties it all together.  It's the focal point, the one thing we don't lose sight of.  If it's a good centerpiece you can't help but admire it, if it's not you tend to toss it aside.

The Dishes: Management Team
Plates and bowls are mean to take what's offered and house them so thy can be worked on.  If you put the wrong people in charge you can end up with a big mess, like serving soup on a plate. 

The Utensils: Project Team
Not everything can be eaten with your hands. Most things can’t. The key to getting through a project is having the right tools at your disposal – and those often are the people working on it, day in and day out. They know how to attack the plan and the management team has made it easier for them to do so. They often bring things in that the management team can’t or doesn’t see. They are looking ahead with a different set of eyes. That’s why you don’t see a plate cut a steak.

The Main Course: The Agenda
This isn’t a person or a role, this is simply what needs to be dealt with. If you have an under-developed agenda, you’re not going to enjoy your meeting very much. More often than not, you won’t even get anything done if it’s not clear and focused. I can tell you that when it comes to dinner, I’m not going to eat undercooked meat. You know why? Because I could get sick – or worse.  That’s what an “undercooked” agenda can do to your organization.

The Dessert: The End Result
Have you ever tried to bake a soufflé? If you have, you’ll know how challenging it is to keep it from falling flat (even if you haven’t, you’ve likely heard about how this can happen). A meeting is similar in that if you don’t handle it accordingly, the end result will fall flat. When a soufflé works out, it tastes great. But a flat one just comes off unappealing – not even worth eating, really. If you want to have a great ending to your meeting, handle it with care throughout. What that means for your office is dependent on a ton of things (your centerpiece comes to mind), but make sure you adhere to it as closely as possible. Otherwise your meeting will fall flat.
 

Source: workawesome.com