Skill-Pill Newsletter

Welcome to Skill-Pill's Health Check for August. This month we roll-out our new range of Meetings pills, which can help you prepare, participate in, and follow up key meetings.

The titles we're introducing include 'Introduction to Meetings', 'Management Briefing Meetings', 'Problem Solving Meetings', 'Staff Meetings', and 'Chairing Creative Meetings'.

It's been estimated that project leaders spend as much as fifty per cent of their time in meetings. So it's vital that meetings are conducted in the most effective way possible. The new set of Meeting Skill-Pills begins with this introduction, which sets out the different stages of a meeting process, the different meeting roles to be filled and the correct mindset with which to approach each and every meeting. Common sense maybe - but perhaps not common practice.

A management briefing usually takes the form of a presentation to managers. If you and your colleagues are delivering the presentation, you may be trying to obtain approval for a project, or to keep management informed of results, problems, or remedial actions being taken. There are certain steps you can take to ensure the briefing runs smoothly, and that you impress your superiors enough to get the results you want. This Skill-Pill works as a guide for you, with helpful tips and advice, to help you deliver a thorough, well-targeted presentation to the management team.

A problem solving meeting is called to address a specific organizational problem and provide a workable solution. These meeting can take many forms, from a large task-force to a small working group. Use conference style seating, or a circle of chairs, so that participants feel included and able to communicate easily. Also, a large chalkboard or flipchart should be made available, for displaying solutions and action plans.

Staff meetings are among a manager's most valuable tools. They might be called to share information about a plan or policy, or to review progress on a project. A well-organized staff meeting can provide a team with a sense of cohesiveness, continuity and team spirit, while there are many consequences of a poorly-organised meeting. Take this Skill-Pill to stop some of those bad habits! All of your colleagues will be grateful for the time you save them.

Creative meetings are different. Don't run them the way you would run a standard meeting. For example, any issues that should be dealt with in other meetings need to be left outside the room. Along with job titles and distractions, like your mobile phone. You need to move people out of their comfort zone, and allow ideas to flow. This Skill-Pill contains a wealth of ideas to help you do this, and get the best ideas from a creative meeting.