How to Conduct a Meeting

Meetings, when properly directed, are a great way to get everyone on the same page, strategize, and brainstorm with the aim of moving the company in the right direction. If a meeting lacks the necessary focus, however, it can represent a colossal time-suck and a waste of everybody’s resources. It’s essential to have a clear picture of why a meeting is necessary and what needs to be accomplished. Below are a few “don’ts” and “dos” when it comes to taking the lead and conducting a great meeting.

DON’T conduct meetings every week for the sake of conducting a meeting – it can lead to so many annoying little problems like the anticipation of the dreaded weekly meeting, the didn’t-we-just-discuss-this-last-week feeling, or the incessant mulling over minutia. Not every decision in a company should be left to a democracy and it’s really only beneficial to call a meeting when one is deemed truly necessary.

DO include everyone - if you’ve decided that now is the time to have a meeting it should be because some kind of shift in direction is necessary. Sea changes can implicate the whole company and you might be surprised by who has big ideas. If wholesale changes are necessary, and you limit your company’s rebranding to the marketing team because you see it exclusively as a marketing issue, you’re effectively limiting your options moving forward.

DON’T make your meetings about one-on-ones – a meeting where everyone is gathered waiting for their turn to speak and explain what they do is likely to cause attendees to zone out. The key to a great meeting, and getting great ideas out, is to keep everyone engaged. Set aside time to have one-on-ones so that everyone can communicate what’s relevant about their particular position and then connect them with whoever they might need in other departments. Remember, meetings are about the big picture, not the details.

DO have a clear idea of what needs to be accomplished – a meeting’s focus can be lost so easily by getting bogged down in details. It’s imperative that, when leading a team meeting, you know exactly where your team is at and where they should be by the end. It’s possible to know the answers without having the means to articulate it, so cluing in to what’s being shared in a meeting should be what allows you to formulate an expression of what you know is already there.

DON’T get sidetracked by things that are irrelevant – although it’s important to keep things lighthearted and fun, maintaining control over the direction of the meeting is essential to make progress. Meetings can suffer from too many questions or too much fine-tuning. Ideas discussed at meetings should be global, not particular. It’s important not to just gloss over the details, but keep in mind that the grandeur of an issue should reflect the size and duration of a meeting.

DO allow everyone a chance to shine  - although you’re in control and you make the decisions, a meeting can never be about you. You can communicate company values in an email, but you get feedback in a meeting. Having an open mind, ceding the floor and jumping in only to direct traffic, should be the leader’s role in any meeting.

Summary

Meetings aren’t the kind of thing you want built into the framework of your company but it’s important to have systems in place that keep you in contact with the various branches of your business. A constant stream of meetings can devalue their importance and, as a team leader, it’s important to distinguish between when everyone needs to be brought together and when it’s time to meet one-on-one. Meetings represent an opportunity to shake things up, keep everyone on their toes, and pull them out of the doldrums of the regular routine. Suddenly throwing everyone into a collaborative environment of equals often has an effect of stimulating out-of-the-box thinking and it can be surprising where the next great idea can come from.

How To Use a Virtual Assistant in Your Business

We still might be a few years away from robot butlers, but that doesn't mean we can't put technology to work to help our businesses. We're talking about virtual assistants. These are outsourced contractors who, through the magic of the internet, can perform tasks from research, making appointments and even customer service without having to be local.

They mostly work from their own home, which can help you cut down on office overhead. They are freelancers with a specific skill set that is needed by your company. Whether it is a virtual content writer or virtual administrative assistant, many business owners are discovering the benefits of working across the internet.

Here are the advantages to think of when hiring a virtual assistant.

Accounting:

A virtual assistant makes a perfect bookkeeper. If you have set up an online bookkeeping system for your business, then there is no reason why you can't share that with a remote accountant. Not only can a virtual assistant maintain your financial records but they can also follow up on unpaid invoices or outstanding bills. You obviously need to work with a reputable person if you're going to turn over your financial information - this is not someone you should find on Craigslist. Instead, look for a professional company who handles this type of work.

Competitive and Customer Research:

You know how easy it is to get lost in online research. One minute you're looking up relevant information about your competitor and the next you're watching YouTube videos of baby pandas. Why not let a virtual assistant handle your online research chores? You can task them with an assignment and set them loose across the Internet. This type of research can cover everything from finding your next blog topic to seeing what new products are coming onto the market that relate to your business. They could also research other businesses or investors to help prep you for a meeting.

Database Management:

Hopefully your business will grow by leaps and bounds very quickly. If so, then your customer relationship database will also be expanding. Not only will you need an easy to access contact list of vendors and business associates but you'll also have a customer email database to manage. With access to your servers, a virtual assistant trained in this type of work can make sure your lists are up to date and error free.

Travel:

If traveling is part of your business then you'll certainly want to keep an eye on your travel expenses. There are plenty of amazing deals on hotels, flights and rental cars to be had out there in cyberland. Do you have the time to sort through it all? A virtual assistant can make all the arrangements and find you the best deals.

Once you've used a virtual assistant for even the simplest of tasks, you'll find that you have more time to focus on building your business instead of running it.  

Reasons for creating an advisory board for your business

One common problem that entrepreneurs face is the problem of finding a group of peers who understand the challenges of running a business. Sometimes, with the constant battles of putting out fires, solving problems on a daily basis that they sometimes forget they need to take a step back from the business and deal with larger strategic issues. This is where an experienced board of advisors can come in and provide a sounding wall to vet ideas and strategies that will benefit the business.

Advisory boards are such a great tool that no small business should be without one. It’s like having a group of experienced consultants working for your company, those who can provide you with their:

• independent perspectives,

• experience,

• special skills,

• and network of connections to your company.

Is creating an advisory board right for me?

Although there are numerous benefits to having an advisory board, it does take a lot of planning and determination to create one. As an owner, you must be aware of confidentiality issues – to be able to trust that your advisors have your best interests at heart and not divulge company secrets. Likewise, you must be ready to communicate the issues that your company face, such as operations, employee problems and even opportunities. Without open communication from both yourself and the board, it will be very difficult for your business to benefit from this collaboration. Of course, when you recruit for an advisor, the person you want has to be capable of handling sensitive issues and confidential information.

For your advisory board to be effective, you must create guidelines in these areas:

Responsibilities – You should create a formal job description for everyone involved in the board. By clarifying their duties, there will be no overlap and misconceptions on their duties. When you recruit, be aware of what your organizational needs are, so you have the right expertise available.

Meetings – You should outline the frequency, length and location of your meetings. Remember, your advisors are also busy, so you should leave some flexibility in meetings to accommodate their schedules.

Compensation – Be clear on how you plan to compensate your advisors. Will you compensate them for attending meetings? And how will you do it – with cash or stock? You should be upfront about this – remember that your advisors are helping you out of their busy schedule.

Having an advisory board is a huge benefit to your small business, provided there is a clear direction and is supported properly by yourself and your company. It will allow your small business to compete against larger competitors by working with talent that might not otherwise be available.