Designed Exclusively for the NCASFAA Fall Conference

November, 2007

Presented by Terry D. EversonSenior Vice President of Training & Sales

Making Meetings Work For You

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Personal Learning JournalInitial Learning Objectives

A training program is like a communication situation in one important way: If you are clear about what you want or need, and you are willing to ask for it, you are more likely to get it.

In the space below, write down what you want or need from this training program.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Ah-Ha’s

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Agenda

• Introduction

• “Meetings, Bloody Meetings”

• Roles We Play

• Dealing with Disruptive Behavior

• The Agenda

• Let’s Get Electronic

• Evaluation

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Why Do We Have Meetings?

--Seriously--

What do they cost?

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Meeting Definition:

A gathering of two or more people to accomplish a stated objective(s) and within a specified time.

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Tell Me About Your Last Meeting

• Planning

• Agenda

• Participation

• Leadership

• Deliverables

• Follow-up/Closure

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Key Lessons From Meetings, Bloody Meetings

• Plan

• Inform

• Prepare

• Structure and Content

• Summarize

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Shared Responsibility

• Chairperson

• Facilitator

• Other Participants

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Responsibilities of the Facilitator

• Assists chairperson in planning the meeting.• Takes visible notes during the meeting.• Models and coaches members in process behavior.• Models key communication skills.• Checks group for direction and progress.• Handles disruptive behavior.• Manages conflict.• Seeks consensus.

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Responsibilities of the Chairperson

• Calls the meeting.

• Starts the meeting.

• Is key decision maker but this can be shared with the group.

• Ends the meeting.

• Checks and distributes minutes.

• Monitors follow-up.

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Responsibilities of the Members

• Does pre-work.

• Remains attentive and participates in discussion and other meeting activities.

• Provides accurate and complete information.

• Commits to action plan.

• Avoids disruptive behavior.

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Detail the Most Descriptive Meeting Behaviors As a Class We Will Discuss Each

Behavior Resolution Techniques

• •

• •

• •

• •

• •

• •

• •

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The Agenda: A Key To Success

• Design

• Distribution

• Deliverables

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Leadership of Electronic Meetings

Humanizing

Send a Welcome Letter

Let participants know they are important to the success of the problem by sending them a welcome letter before the first teleconference. Include an agenda, suggestions for preparing for the session (such as a question or problem to think about) and some information about yourself (biographical sketch, photocopied picture).

Make A Master Roster

The more you know about the individuals in your meeting, the better you’ll communicate. Make up a master roster of participants at each location with a line or two of related information about them. Use this roster to focus discussion on the needs and interests of the individuals participating during the introduction phase of this agenda.

Use of Names

Always call participants by name. Use your roster list. When an individual asks a question , note the name so you can use it again in your response. People like to be recognized by name; it’s especially important in electronic meetings.

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Leadership of Electronic Meetings (Cont’d)

Let Your Personality Come Through

Be yourself. It’s important to come across the way you do in a face-to-face situation even though microphones are used for communicating. Try to form a mental picture of what it’s like to be at one of the locations and talk directly to individuals rather than to an “audience out there.”

Open With An “Informal Roll Call”

To create an informal, friendly atmosphere and to give participants a chance to become accustomed to using the equipment, ask for a few responses from selected locations. A few exchanges such as, “How’s the weather?” or “How many are there with you today?” Let individuals overcome any hesitancy in using the microphones.

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Participation

Warm Up Your Audience

Enthusiasm and encouragement by the conference leader are vital to meeting effectiveness. Help individuals feel comfortable about their participation. Participants may need more encouragement than in a face-to-face setting, so your role as conference leader is important.

Share the Wealth

Before the meeting, call a few specific participants and ask them to assume critical roles. You can use registration information to identify individuals who would be willing to assume these roles.

Use Questions As a Tool

Use a list of highlighted questions which summarize the main ideas for each session. Send these to participants before the program. Use this list to kick off discussion by asking group members to pick out a question they would like to talk about in greater depth.

Use Interactive Formats

Use formats which encourage group members to participate. Almost all techniques used in face-to-face meetings can be used successfully in teleconferencing. In fact, the five steps outline in Meetings, Bloody Meetings, may be even more critical for successful teleconferencing.

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The Role of the Facilitator

The role of the Facilitator and the effect of the Facilitator’s efforts in the company are important in teleconferences. The Facilitator assumes the responsibility for coordinating all teleconferences at each company location.

The Facilitator is responsible not only for the scheduling arrangements, but has the overall responsibility for the implementation and promotion of teleconferencing in their company. These responsibilities include:

• Equipment security and trouble-free operation

• Establishment of a conference information base

• Actively informing clientele groups of specific meetings

• Handling facility location

• Keeping track of participants

• Distribution of program materials: printout handouts, slides, evaluations, attendance sheets, video tape and AV equipment.

• Identifying, hiring and training personnel to assist with the implementation and promotion of programs.

The Facilitator will work closely with the company’s Teleconference Technician to ensure that necessary information and proper equipment is sent to participants.

Installation and check-out of equipment will be done through the Teleconference Technician; this is critical that lines of communication remain open between the Facilitator and the Teleconference Technician.

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Call to Action

I will do what? By when?

Action Date

Signed___________________ Date______

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Terry D. EversonSenior Vice President of Training and SalesStudent Loan XpressA CIT Company3532 John Muir DriveMiddleton, WI 53562terry.everson@slxpress.com(o) 608-831-5586(f) 608-831-5589(c) 608-225-3762

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