1. Be on time.

Make sure you come on time and prepare for the

meeting ahead of time. You don't want to waste
anyone else's time by not being punctual.

"Leaders need to start on time so people can

depend on that," she tells us.

2. Make introductions.
If everyone doesn't know one another in the
meeting room, you need to make introductions. You
should do this by starting with the person of the
highest rank first.

For example, "Ms. Greater Importance, I would like

you to meet Mr. Lesser Importance."

3. Have a strong agenda.

This is part of being prepared, but you should have
a good, strong agenda so that you can stay on
track. If you do get off track, you should have a
strong facilitator to get you back on track,.

4. Sit appropriately.
If it's a sit-down meeting, you need to adjust your
chair so that you're at equal height with everyone
else at the table. "Some people don't adjust their
chairs, so they end up being the little kid in the
meeting.

5. Speak up.
When people speak in meetings they need to
speak loudly enough so that everyone hears what
they're saying. "Many men and women, especially
women, do not speak loudly enough. And speaking
softly is a subtle nonverbal action that can affect
your professionalism.

6. Understand the unwritten speaking rules.

It's not polite to interrupt others, but in some
meetings, you have to interrupt at some point or
you won't be heard. Understand the rules so that
you can have a productive meeting.

7. Do not have your phone out.

A lot of people keep their phones on the table
during meetings,. Don't do this. Even if you aren't
looking at your phone, it can get distracting if it
starts lighting up or making noises.

"Put it in your pocket, keep it on vibrate, and leave

the room if you have to take the call or return a
text. "It's really, really rude to be texting during a
meeting."

8. You can drink coffee, but you need permission

for anything e.
If you're going to eat, it needs to be OK with the
entire group,. "You can make noise or give off
smells" that are disruptive, so it needs to be OK
with everyone.

9. Clean up after yourself.

This is especially true if you were drinking or eating
during the meeting. You need to clean up after
yourself and leave things the way you found them.
Otherwise, it's not professional.

10. Don't save all your questions for the end.

Ask your questions at the appropriate time. Do not
be the person who starts "asking questions and
adding stuff that doesn't need to be added" when
everyone's getting ready to go, warns

SEATING ARRANGEMENT IN

Bo
ardroom skills are as important as the skills you bring
to the table. From the moment you walk into the
boardroom, be aware of all your mannerisms.
Exchange business cards before the meeting so you
can use them and use participants names, keeping
YOU in control always the goal. Place others cards
subtly, yet strategically around your portfolio so you
can address individuals by name, as you comment,
question, etc. Using names is powerful.
The host sits at the head of the table. The head of
the table is entirely contingent upon where the door
to the room is located. Remember: nearly everyone
watches the entrance of the room. Know this, and
use it to your advantage. If you, as host, were to sit

with your back to the door, whenever anyone

entered, you would have to turn - away from your
table (to view entrant), thereby losing control and,
awareness of your room.
The person of honour sits to the right of the host. The
second most important person is seated to the hosts
left. Co-presenters sit opposite the host so that
together, they can control the meeting. They signal,
gesture, make eye-contact and connect ... to control
the meeting.
The host is always seated first. Ideally, participants
will gather around the table, wait for host to arrive,
shake hands, exchange business cards and
greetings, and let the host be seated, first. Think: a
courtroom and, the judge. The judge enters, all rise,
the rest of the courtroom is seated.
Hands: belong on the boardroom table, not on your
lap. This is much more authoritative and, shows you
are not under handed or, going to draw a sword or
weapon!
Sit: focused forward; remember the British Invisible
V between you and the back of the chair. Refrain
from slumping, touching your face, hair, etc.
Eye contact: make eye-contact with those at the
furthest end of the room; complete the thought. Wait
an extra 2 to 3 seconds as you gaze at each, making
them feel as though you are truly regarding THEM
and, move on. Continue until you have made eye
contact with everyone, thereby owning your room.

 Stand when introducing yourself as you say your

prepared tag line. Make great eye-contact around
the room; remember the presidential pose.
Use a quality penleave bics back at the office.
Space: Take up much space. Perception: more
"space" suggests you are more authoritative,
powerful.

BASIC RULES TO BE KEPT IN

MIND BEFORE AND DURING
CONDUCTING A MEETING

Selecting Participants
The decision about who is to attend depends on what you want to accomplish in
the meeting. This may seem too obvious to state, but it's surprising how many
meetings occur without the right people there.
Don't depend on your own judgment about who should come. Ask several other
people for their opinion as well.
If possible, call each person to tell them about the meeting, it's overall purpose
and why their attendance is important.
Follow-up your call with a meeting notice, including the purpose of the meeting,
where it will be held and when, the list of participants and whom to contact if they
have questions.
Send out a copy of the proposed agenda along with the meeting notice.
Have someone designated to record important actions, assignments and due dates
during the meeting. This person should ensure that this information is distributed to
all participants shortly after the meeting.

Developing Agendas
Develop the agenda together with key participants in the meeting. Think of what
overall outcome you want from the meeting and what activities need to occur to
reach that outcome. The agenda should be organized so that these activities are
conducted during the meeting.
In the agenda, state the overall outcome that you want from the meeting
Design the agenda so that participants get involved early by having something for
them to do right away and so they come on time.
Next to each major topic, include the type of action needed, the type of output
expected (decision, vote, action assigned to someone), and time estimates for
addressing each topic
Ask participants if they'll commit to the agenda.

 Keep the agenda posted at all times.

Don't overly design meetings; be willing to adapt the meeting agenda if members
are making progress in the planning process.
Think about how you label an event, so people come in with that mindset; it may
pay to have a short dialogue around the label to develop a common mindset among
attendees, particularly if they include representatives from various cultures.

Opening Meetings
Always start on time; this respects those who showed up on time and reminds latecomers that the scheduling is serious.
Welcome attendees and thank them for their time.
Review the agenda at the beginning of each meeting, giving participants a chance
to understand all proposed major topics, change them and accept them.
Note that a meeting recorder if used will take minutes and provide them back to
each participant shortly after the meeting.
Model the kind of energy and participant needed by meeting participants.
Clarify your role(s) in the meeting.

Establishing Ground Rules for

Meetings
You don't need to develop new ground rules each time you have a meeting, surely.
However, it pays to have a few basic ground rules that can be used for most of your
meetings. These ground rules cultivate the basic ingredients needed for a
successful meeting.
Four powerful ground rules are: participate, get focus, maintain momentum and
reach closure. (You may want a ground rule about confidentiality.)

 List your primary ground rules on the agenda.

If you have new attendees who are not used to your meetings, you might review
each ground rule.

Time Management
One of the most difficult facilitation tasks is time management -- time seems to run
out before tasks are completed. Therefore, the biggest challenge is keeping
momentum to keep the process moving.
You might ask attendees to help you keep track of the time.
If the planned time on the agenda is getting out of hand, present it to the group
and ask for their input as to a resolution. (Also see Time Management.)

Evaluations of Meeting Process

It's amazing how often people will complain about a meeting being a complete
waste of time -- but they only say so after the meeting. Get their feedback during
the meeting when you can improve the meeting process right away. Evaluating a
meeting only at the end of the meeting is usually too late to do anything about
participants' feedback.
Every couple of hours, conduct 5-10 minutes "satisfaction checks".
In a round-table approach, quickly have each participant indicate how they think
the meeting is going.

Evaluating the Overall Meeting

Leave 5-10 minutes at the end of the meeting to evaluate the meeting; don't skip
this portion of the meeting.

 Have each member rank the meeting from 1-5, with 5 as the highest, and have
each member explain their ranking
Have the chief executive rank the meeting last.

Closing Meetings
Always end meetings on time and attempt to end on a positive note.
At the end of a meeting, review actions and assignments, and set the time for the
next meeting and ask each person if they can make it or not (to get their
commitment)
Clarify that meeting minutes and/or actions will be reported back to members in at
most a week (this helps to keep momentum going).