Best Practice

That Was a Great Meeting!

We all spend hours of our time attending meetings. Sometimes the meetings are productive, but very often, the meetings are a waste of time. Everyone has a responsibility in making sure that we only attend those meetings that will result in a tangible benefit to every participant. We would like everyone to say, at the end of the session, "That was a great meeting!" In order to reach that goal, we must make sure that the meeting was necessary to begin with. In deciding whether to call another meeting, and to make sure it's a good use of everyone's time, ask yourself these 10 questions:

1. Is the meeting justified for the money it will cost?
2. Do I really need to speak with only one person?
3. Would a conference call or email be just as effective?
4. Is there a clear objective or accomplishment I want to achieve?
5. Do I need to meet face to face with others to meet this objective?
6. Who should attend the meeting?
7. Would each person make a contribution towards meeting the objective?
8. When should the meeting be held in order to minimize disruptions to other peoples' schedules?
9. What materials do participants need ahead of time to make the meeting effective?
10. Where is the best place to hold the meeting so that everyone will focus on the objective?

Have you ever wondered how a product could be on the market for years with little notoriety, and then all of a sudden, its sales take off into the millions? Malcolm Gladwell, explains the phenomenon of creating word-of-mouth epidemics in his book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference . This is one of those eye opening books that explain why events at work and in society happen the way they do. It explains how an idea or trend crosses the threshold and spreads like wildfire. Gladwell attributes this tipping point to three criteria: The Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and The Power of Context.

The Law of the Few describes how certain types of people in society have a great influence in determining the acceptability of ideas and trends. Gladwell describes these people as Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. Connectors are individuals who know everyone; Mavens want to solve other people's problems by helping and educating; and Salesmen are persuaders. In order for an idea or trend to cross the threshold and capture the imagination of large numbers of people, you have to concentrate your resources solely on these three groups; no one else matters.

The Stickiness Factor is the way we describe our idea so that it is remembered. Stickiness is the primary purpose of advertising firms and marketing campaigns. Gladwell give us numerous, everyday examples describing how there is a simple way to package information. Also, by tinkering with the message, you can make it irresistible to your audience. It is the little things that make our ideas memorable and move us to action.

The Power of Context is the third ingredient in creating a word-of-mouth epidemic. People's behavior and actions are extremely sensitive to their surroundings and situation. Specific and relatively small elements in our environment can serve as Tipping Points in turning an idea into an epidemic. For example, "Anyone who has ever been to the movies knows that the size of the crowd in the theater has a big effect on how good the movie seems." Tightly focused, targeted interventions often make the difference between whether an idea takes off or not.

No matter where we work, we are all in the business of influencing others. We want our ideas to have a positive impact on our companies and organizations. The Tipping Point , by giving us three simple rules of influence, provides us with the tools to turn our good ideas into word-of-mouth epidemics. This entertaining and informative book will open your eyes on how a series of little things can make the difference between a good idea and a great idea and influence other to take action.

What's On

Shaun Hopkins, "The Motivational Manager"

Listen to Business @ Night on CFRA News Radio 580 AM every Tuesday between 7:30 pm and 8:00 pm to hear Shaun, "The Motivational Manager" provide a weekly management tip for business leaders. Listen live at http://www.cfra.com/listen/index.asp#

Training Solutions 2007 Conference & Expo, Orlando, Florida.

Training Needs Analysis: Quick, Accurate and Complete
Monday, February 26, 2007 2:45 pm

Training needs analysis is the first step to designing and delivering learning that will meet the needs of your target audience. Learn techniques to gather the most accurate information about your audience and to determine if training is the right solution. In this clinic, you will plan and conduct a training needs analysis. Learn to:

• Identify the target audience for the analysis.
• Identify the gaps in actual performance and determine the reasons for them.
• Determine whether training is necessary.
• Identify the best training strategy.

Marketing Skills for Trainers: How to Promote Your Training Service
Tuesday, February 27, 2006 9:15 am

Having difficulty filling your classes? Need to improve the marketing of your training? In this session, you will learn dozens of practical tips on how to promote your training, the four keys to marketing success, and how to create a marketing plan. Learn how to align your training with the priorities of your company, to differentiate your courses from the competition, and how to build lasting relationships with your internal customers. 

Participants will be able to: 

1. Create alignment between training and the company's mission and goals. 
2. Select the promotional techniques for their marketing campaigns. 
3. Write persuasive hooks in their marketing materials
4. Build positive working relationships with their customers.
5. Write a marketing plan for their training services.