Create Awesome Meetings Podcast: Business Communication Skills | Effective Meetings | Organizational Learning | Management

Welcome! Let's look at why taking action creates awesome meetings starting now! On a scale from 1-10 would you rate your meetings as -5? Do you know that you need to do something about this but you just can’t seem to get the ball rolling? Would you like to learn how to get inspired and take action to make your next meeting amazing? Well then, today’s episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is perfect for you because in this episode you’ll learn: How to figure out what will motivate you to actually change your meetings How to get inspired by your favorite larger-than-life people from around the world How to get inspired by getting to really know the people on your meeting team How to be a great role model during meetings Why failing faster is a great way to take action How to create a series of small wins that will eventually add up to a large victory How to use the 10-step meeting productivity improvement system from the book ‘How To Create Awesome Meetings Why ‘paying it forward’ not only pays off for you and your organization but, also for your community How taking action and improving your meetings can be very profitable Quotes: "Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment own it." ~ Oprah Winfrey~ "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."~Lao Tzu~ Link: www.terryfox.org And if you'd like even more great meeting productivity improvement tips and inspriation then check out the Meeting Leadership Podcast! Enter Your Name And Email below to get the FREE Checklist √ PDF download!

Are your meetings a disaster? As in… the facilitator is incompetent and the participants are running the zoo? Would you like to learn a fast way to turn your meetings from bad into awesome? Well, then today’s episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is perfect for you because it is all about helping you learn how to hire a Professional Meeting Facilitator. In this episode you’ll learn: Why hiring a Professional Meeting Facilitator is a great investment How to ask the right kinds of questions that will help you hire a great Professional Meeting Facilitator What you should expect when you hire a Professional Meeting Facilitator Why it is so important to bring in an objective outsider who can help you sort through and prioritize you key issues How a Professional Meeting Facilitator can help you connect your meeting directly to your organization strategy A professional meeting facilitator is someone who has the right experience, credentials, and confidence to help you have an awesome meeting. They are objective - won’t put up with your current crap - and they will give you all the options you need to make your meetings successful. And if all of your meetings were successful, can you imagine what type of impact that would have on your bottom line? Quotes: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” ~Colin Powell~ “Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.” ~Theodore Isaac Rubin~ And if you'd like even more great meeting productivity improvement tips and inspriation then check out the Meeting Leadership Podcast! Send an email with CAM 022 in the subject line to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

When you’re in a meeting, how do you act? Do you check your phone, cross your arms and fall asleep? Or do you come prepared, keep your energy up and inspire everyone else in the room? Do you want to learn how to become the best that you can be during a meeting? Well, then today’s episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is perfect for you, because it is all about helping you learn how to take responsibility for yourself. In this episode you’ll discover how to: Ask yourself the right kinds of questions that will enable you to choose how you act during a meeting Find a variety of tools to become more self-aware Seek out a mentor who will help you grow personally and professionally Demonstrate that by taking control of yourself during meetings, you actually make your organization stronger and more Quotes: “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~Viktor Frankl~  Neurologist and Psychiatrist “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” ~Isaac Newton~ Physicist and Mathematician Link: Million Women Mentors And if you'd like even more great meeting productivity improvement tips and inspriation then check out the Meeting Leadership Podcast! Send an email with CAM 021 in the subject line to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Do you and your colleagues follow up after each meeting? If the answer is yes, congratulations. But if the answer is ‘sort of’, ‘not really’ or ‘no’, then you may be leaving money on the floor. Consistent meeting follow-up is rare, but if you learn how to follow up effectively you can literally improve the bottom line for any organization you work or volunteer for. So, to help you improve your odds when it comes to following up consistently after your meetings, today’s episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is dedicated to giving you all of the tips and inspiration you'll need, including how to: Use the word FAST itself as a handy acronym to help you be more consistent when it comes to following up Figure out why it’s worth following up by making a list of your ‘top five reasons to follow up’ Ask your staff about how they want to give and receive feedback Astonish each other by following up quickly and efficiently Make a checklist so you can standardize your follow up process Assign someone other than the meeting leader to gather data during meetings, and make sure they track the key points in a fluid data system Figure out the right level of money and resources you should invest to effectively follow up after a meeting How To Use The Word F-A-S-T: F - Feedback Loop A - Astonish Each Other S - Standardize The Follow Up Process T - Track Progress Send an email with CAM 020 in the subject line to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Quote: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Benjamin Franklin, A Founding Father of the United States

Do your colleagues actually listen to what you’re saying during a meeting? Or do they pay more attention to their phones? Would you and your team like to learn how to listen more effectively so you can have awesome meetings? If the answer is yes, then this episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is for you. In this episode you’ll learn how to: Get interested - because ‘the most interesting people are those who are the most interested’ Repeat what you’ve heard so that whoever was talking feels acknowledged Say the person's name when you respond, because we all love the sound of our own name Remember what you appreciate about who’s talking, and if there isn’t much then make something up Talk less Make eye contact Turn off your phone Allow people to finish what they are saying Pick the right time to say your answer instead of just blurting it out before someone finishes speaking Relax and be present Send an email with CAM 019 in the subject line to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Quote: “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Greek Philosopher Epictetus

Have you ever been in a fight during a meeting? Have you ever watched your colleagues yell at each other during a meeting? Would you like to learn how to fight so you can really get along? If so, then this episode of the Create Awesome Meetings podcast will be perfect for you and your team. In this episode you’ll learn how to: Save time and money by learning how to disagree more efficiently Become aware of your negative behaviour during a meeting Create a ‘fight-style’ inventory, as in, who is shy, too aggressive etc. Understand why it is worth disagreeing Never let a bad idea out of the room because of a fight Never put up with the status quo Establish your own unique set of meeting fight ground rules Make disagreements about the issue and not about the person Stop the discussion if it becomes too personal or if voices are raised Ensure that once a decision is made, then everyone supports it Bring in a professional Professional Meeting Facilitator or Meeting Mentor if necessary Because no matter what type of meeting you’re in, learning how to fight effectively will definitely make it more productive. Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Are you in a job where you have meetings that are not in rooms? Like on a construction site or at a Nursing station? Do you ever have to meet off-site, away from the office in places like hotels or convention centres? Would you like some practical tips and inspiration that will help you turn these unique spaces into meeting productivity opportunities? Well, you’re in the right place because episode 17 of the Create Awesome Meetings is all about optimizing meetings that are not in traditional rooms. And please keep in mind that this is 'Part 2' of a two-part series about meeting spaces. If you have not had a chance to listen to Part 1 you can simply check it out here. Where You Meet Matters Now ‘I believe that where you meet is as important as what you’re meeting about - and with that in mind here is a four-step framework that you can apply to any space that you meet in. The Four Step Framework To Help You Create An Awesome Meeting Space: Step 1: Ask practical questions like... On a Construction Site or out in the Wilderness: What time of day are we going to be meeting? In an Open Area: What type of information are you talking about? Is it confidential? In-Town, Off-Site: What is the reputation of the destination staff? Step 2: Ask people questions like... On a Construction Site or out in the Wilderness: Is there a trained meeting facilitator in the group? In an Open Area: Are there any patients or family members nearby? In-Town, Off-Site: Will an off-site meeting be a motivator for our staff? Step 3: Ask spatial questions like... On a Construction Site or out in the Wilderness: Is it too noisy to be heard properly? In an Open Area: Do you have to keep your voice down? In-Town, Off-Site: Do they have the right capacity and styles of rooms for your type of meetings? Step 4: Ask inspiring questions about the meeting room like... On a Construction Site or out in the Wilderness: Can you take a moment to acknowledge the outdoor setting and be inspired by it? In an Open Area: How can you connect this meeting to your organization strategy? In-Town, Off-Site: Can we book an awesome guest speaker? And if you want even more detailed answers then it is definitely worth listening to the podcast! Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

What does your meeting space look like? Are the tables sticky? Are there broken chairs and old papers lying around? Does your meeting room make you want to run away screaming? I believe that where you meet is as important as what you’re meeting about. So in today's episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast, we’re talking about where you and your team meet on a regular basis. And please keep in mind that this is 'Part 1' of a two-part series about meeting spaces. 'Part 1' deals with helping you improve spaces like your board room or staff room. In 'Part 2' you'll learn how to optimize the places that you meet that are not in rooms, as in, on a construction site or at a nursing station etc. And ultimately, after listening to these two episodes, along with the free downloads, then you'll be able to turn where you meet into a productivity improvement opportunity! And to help you break down all of the detail that goes into creating an awesome meeting space, I have created a 4-step framework. The Four Step Framework To Help You Create An Awesome Meeting Space: Step 1: Ask practical questions like... Do we need to book the room? Does the room have a projector, screen, sound system, and connections for computers? Who do we call if something goes wrong? Step 2: Ask people questions like... How many people are coming? Are people getting along and who should sit beside who? Step 3: Ask spatial questions like... Can we all hear each other and see each other in this room? What style of meeting are we having (ie. lecture, group work) and what shape should the room be in? Step 4: Ask Inspiring Questions About The Meeting Room... Should we post our strategic Vision, Mission and Objectives? Does this space support the unique culture of our organization? Creating an inspiring meeting space can make your meetings more productive, which will ultimately help your organization to be more profitable! Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Have you ever had a moment where the printer won’t work? Or that guy in HR opened another email he wasn’t supposed to and the whole network got infected? Would you like to know the right way to having a meeting with your IT guy when something like this happens and you want to get it fixed fast? Then this episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is for you!. That's because you're going to hear a fantastic interview with Ben Habing, an IT expert with over 20 years of experience in all levels of IT from dealing with small business to servicing multi-million-dollar contracts for large companies. In this episode Ben shares a ton of great IT meeting insights including: Being relentless about defining the business problem itself, and THEN choosing an IT solution to meet the need Making sure that you have left no question unanswered so that there can be no surprises when it comes to implementation Preventing any language barriers between the business owner and the IT technician to ensure that everyone understands each other Making sure the client understands what happens if their system goes down (from fire, flood, failed hardrive etc.) and what steps will be taken if it does How to empathize with each other because everybody has a job to do Why being open and honest is the best way to do business during an IT meeting How to prevent over-spending by establishing clear project requirements How to establish a clear Return-On-Investment from your IT spend, as in, do you want to earn $, reduce costs, or both? Why establishing the right back-up process is so important How to set up high expectations within the IT agreement itself How to not get bamboozled by the latest IT fad and ensure that you only implement what you need ‘When in doubt, do without’ Why IT is not magic, it's just engineering Why IT should be treated like a marriage (because often you'll be spending more time with your IT guy than your spouse anyway) Why it is critical to have the right people in an IT meeting and to follow a clear meeting agenda Ben's Top 3 IT Meetings Suggestions Be clear about the business problem you are trying to solve, and THEN figure out the appropriate IT solution Be calm during a meeting with your IT provider and remember that everyone has a job to do Clearly understand what Return-On-Investment you want from your IT solution, and don't overspend on bells and whistles that you don't need About Ben Habing Ben has been wielding a keyboard since he was nine. He has spent almost 20 years working in IT, holding various roles from Systems Administrator, Senior Systems Engineer, Infrastructure Architect, IT Manager, Technical Process Manager, Director of Strategy & Business Development to most recently CEO. He has led several technical support teams, implemented numerous enterprise applications, server and infrastructure systems all with a focus on delivering value to the business Ben is a veteran of the dot-com bust and after climbing the inner sanctums of IT; he made the jump over to quality and governance, and finally into leadership. This has given Ben, one of the unique perspectives of being able to talk the tech-talk and understand the need for adoption of service quality and business fundamentals in the sometimes-unhallowed walls of IT. Ben, consults full-time now with his company, Vivify Technology Inc. helping companies enliven their technology to enable them to run their business more effectively anywhere. You can get in touch with Ben at ben.habing@vivifytech.com. Links Mentioned In This Episode www.vivifytech.com Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

How are your meetings going? Bad? Good? Or in the worst case scenario maybe your meetings are just OK. Like you know they could be better, but instead you're choosing to just go with the flow. What if you could find a low-cost solution to help you turn your meetings from bad to awesome! Well if you'd like this to happen then today's episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast will be perfect for you and your whole meeting team. Because today you'll learn how to successfully work with a Meeting Mentor. This is someone within your organization who loves running meetings AND they are good at it AND they want to help you improve your overall meeting effectiveness. Some of the great concepts you'll gain from listening include: How to find a Meeting Mentor A simple three-step process for working with a Meeting Mentor that will help you get fast results How to build a Meeting Mentorship Culture The advantage of working with an internal person vs. an external person How working with a Meeting Mentor will help you improve overall productivity and profitability The Five Steps To Help You Build A Meeting Mentorship Culture Acknowledge that you need a Meeting Mentor Find a Meeting Mentor Work with a Meeting Mentor Review what happened with your meeting team Build a Meeting Mentorship Culture Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Are you looking for a once-in-a-lifetime destination in the Canadian Rockies to book your next corporate meeting? Do also you want to ensure that your event is seamless? Then this episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is for you! That's because you're going to hear from Barb Wallace, the Manager of Conference Services and Catering at the world-class Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. In this episode Barb shares great destination meeting insights including: How the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is set in an overwhelmingly beautiful location with all kinds of unique opportunities from golf, to skiing to climbing and more How the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel provides a seamless experience for your corporate events Why the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel has created special position for a 'Conference Concierge' who is available 24 hours a day to make sure your event is perfect How the hotel chefs provide 'unsurpassable' meal choices and cater to all dietary concerns How PSAV ensures that all audio-visual concerns are taken care of Why the website is so easy to use and has everything you need from menus to photos and more (www.fairmont/banffsprings.com) Why the staff has actually tried so many of the dishes as well as experiencing the amenities, which allows them to speak confidently with all guests Why Fairmont partners with JD Power and Associates to gather guest feedback which allows them to consistently improve Why you should check out www.tripadvisor.com to learn more about what people are saying about this destination Why it's important for the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel to give back to the community Why environmental excellence is so important How they can expertly handle groups of any size from 8 - 800 and more Why you'll love swimming in the outdoor pool as the snow gently falls and you're looking out over the Canadian Rocky Mountains Barb's Top 3 Corporate Meeting Booking Suggestions Be aware of what time of year you want to book a destination meeting in the Rocky Mountains so you can take proper of advantage of amenities like world class golf in the summer or fantastic skiing in the winter Get started by checking out floorplans, menus, photos and more on www.fairmont.com/banffsprings, and then brainstorm with the highly trained staff to customize an awesome destination meeting experience Learn as much as possible about both what the hotel and the surrounding area have to offer so you don't miss any once-in-a-lifetime opportunities About Barb Wallace Barb Wallace is the Manager of Conference Services and Catering (CSM) at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. With more than 27 years of experience Barb is the perfect liaison between guests, clients and all hotel teams. She ensures that all the details of your stay are properly carried out and that the planning and execution of your event is top-knotch. You can get in touch with Barb at barb.wallace@fairmont.com Links Mentioned In This Episode www.fairmont.com/banffsprings www.tripadvisor.com PSAV - http://canada.psav.com/ JD Power and Associates - http://canada.jdpower.com/ Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Welcome! Have you ever been in a meeting where you knew for a fact that you didn’t have the right people in the room? Like a nonprofit fundraising meeting in which nobody had any money or the right contacts to get the money? Or a new product development meeting in which you invited all the regular people and nobody had a single new idea? If you would like to avoid this type of situation at your next meeting then episode 12 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is perfect for you! That's because this episode is based on the 'How To Get The Right People Into Your Meetings Checklist' which includes great tips such as: How to create SMART goals for your next meeting (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-Bound) How to do a Meeting Team Traits Inventory (MTTI) How to list the current skills your meeting team has so you can compare that list to the full skill set you need to solve the problem, which will ensure that you know who should be included in the meeting Why training your team so they can acquire the right skills to make your meeting successful is so important Why demonstrating to your boss that getting the right people into a meeting is so profitable! Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Links Mentioned In This Podcast SMART Goals explanation  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria    

When you get knocked down or frustrated during a meeting, how do you react? Do you get angry? Do you get quiet? Do you spend more time complaining about the meeting than the actual time that you spent in the meeting? If this sounds familiar then you're in the right place because episode 11 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast features Zaheen Nanji, an experienced resiliency expert who will share a wealth of practical resiliency techniques and information including: How to stop letting fear control you How to take little steps that add up to big wins when it comes to being more resilient Why it is so important to get feedback about how you act during a meeting Why is is critical to be clear about your intentions going into a meeting How to pause first, think and then react - even when you're under stress during a meeting Why it is so important not to project what you're feeling onto others How you can learn to use Neuro-linguistic programming techniques to stop speaking negatively Why gaining the ability to disassociate from yourself at the right moment is so important How to be empathetic with other people so that you can understand their positive intentions Zaheen's Top 3 Meeting Management Techniques Have a clear intention when you head into a meeting Take the time to be empathetic and understand other people's positive intentions Listen and understand the other person's language before you say anything About Zaheen Nanji People who don't know Zaheen's background sometimes assume that achieving success was easy for her. That couldn't be further from the truth. Her first challenge began around age 5, when an incident left her with a speech impediment-stuttering. As she got accustomed to the people around her in Kenya and they got accustomed to her speech, another change occurred at the age of 15 - her parents sent her to Canada to create better educational opportunities, but this move made her speech even worse; she lost confidence in herself and found comfort in food. Even after going through speech therapy in her twenties, Zaheen wasn't cured, but this was the stepping stone to finding her VOICE. As Zaheen completed her education in Nutrition & Food Science and Environmental Health, she became determined to understand the source of her speech impediment because it had such an impact on things she wanted to do but felt she couldn't. Using her strategies to embrace fear rather than run from it, she slowly started her transformation. While balancing her family, Zaheen has created a successful health and wellness business and simultaneously acquired 3 rental properties within a span of less than 36 months. Not only an entrepreneur, Zaheen is also the author of an award-winning book on behavior weight loss which won a bronze medal at the Global E-book Awards and was featured in the top 10 in Women Business Owners Today E-zine . Her system of transformation and excellence is grounded in building your resilience muscle which is the daily practice of the three R's - Release, Reprogram and Resolve. She offers an array of time-tested techniques and powerful principles to propel her clients toward their definitions of success. For many people who stutter, simply being able to stop stuttering is a dream come true. But Zaheen has run with the dream and is now a sought-after transformational speaker. Her flourishing career has inspired her to share her system of success and transformation, a hybrid of science and technique called the RESILIENCE REFLEX™ where she teaches her clients and audiences how to easily embrace change and bounce back so that resilience becomes your first reflex! You can get in touch with Zaheen at info@zaheennanji.com  Links Mentioned In This Episode “The Resilience Reflex - 8 keys to transforming barriers into success in life and in business" - available on Amazon.com www.zaheennanji.com Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Have you got :20 seconds to make your next meeting awesome? Have you got 20 X :20 seconds? Because episode 10 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is a recording of me (Gord Sheppard) delivering a PechaKucha style talk called "10 Ways To Create Awesome Meetings" to the Emerging Health Leaders group in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. What is PechaKucha you ask? According to PechaKucha.org, “PechaKucha 20×20 is a simple presentation format where you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images advance automatically and you talk along to the images.” That’s 6 minutes and :40 seconds of your life that you’re never going to get back, whether you’re giving the talk or you’re in the audience. And as a Speaker I can tell you that this format is very challenging because you have to be succinct and well prepared, which is why you're going to get a whole lot of meeting productivity information and inspiration in a very short time during today's podcast episode, including tips like: Why getting real by building trust with your team is so important Why it is so important to understand that you can choose how you act in a meeting Why meetings are your early warning system because they are a small snapshot of how your organization is functioning overall How to make sure that you have the right people, so that you can make your meeting successful How to make an awesom POINT whenever it's your turn to speak A fast formula to help you calculate the actual cost of your meetings Why it is so important to have a great meeting facilitator Why it is worth finding a meeting Mentor How to link your meeting to your strategy Why it is critical to take the time to market your agenda so that you get buy-in Why the space that you meet in is as important as what you're meeting about Why walking meetings are essential How to find awesome resources How to follow up FAST How to figure out what inspires you so that you'll make your next meeting great  Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!  Links Mentioned In This Podcast Emerging Health Leaders - Edmonton PechaKucha.org 37 Billion Is Lost Every Year On These Meeting Mistakes - www.businessinsider.com The How To Create Awesome Meetings Workshop    

Do you know how much your meetings cost per hour? Per year? When someone talks for 20 minutes straight about the latest cute cat video on Youtube, is that the best use of your team's time? In episode 9 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast you'll learn how to measure the cost-per-hour of your meetings and not just in terms of money, but in terms of time and overall staff morale. Because with the pace of business these days you can't afford to waste a single second! Other concepts you'll learn in this podcast include: How to connect the true cost of your meetings to your overall profitability How to be honest so that you can decide which meeting to keep and which meeting to let go of Why profitability must be measured in terms of time, motivation AND money How to turn your meetings into a competitive edge How to understand your MROI - Meeting Return On Investment Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Links Mentioned In This Podcast 37 Billion Is Lost Every Year On These Meeting Mistakes - www.businessinsider.com

If you're a Senior Leader, Manager or Executive who is in so many meetings that you don’t have time to do your regular work, then episode 8 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast is must-listen. That’s because today’s guest is Larry Schwenneker, a former Senior Director in Education, who not only ran a budget in excess of 500 million dollars, but who also figured out how to thrive in many of the thousands of meetings that he ran, and participated in. In this episode Larry shares his best insights about how to run fantastic senior level meetings including: Why teaching other people how they should treat you during meetings is so important How to stay on track and be respectful of all of the participant's time during meetings How you can make sure that nobody hijacks the meeting How to be clear about who you need in a meeting, and how well prepared they should be Why participants should always demand an agenda, and if they don’t get one before the meeting, why they should refuse to participate How each person who speaks should have a time limit, and if they go over that time limit then they should ask someone else to give up some of their time How peer pressure helps to create awesome meetings Why you should close the door when the meeting starts and not let any stragglers in, including your boss Why we need more nouns and verbs, and less adjectives and adverbs during meetings How effective meetings improve the overall quality of your life as well as the lives of everyone in your organization Larry's Top 3 Meeting Management Techniques Participate with purpose Manage time well before, during and after the meeting Make the meeting as meaningful as possible About Larry Schwenneker During his 35 year career as an educational administrator, Larry Schwenneker participated in, and ran, thousands of meetings. For the last 14 years he was the Senior Director of Facilities, Design, Construction, Energy and Environment who oversaw more than 200 schools and 9000 students and staff. At the peak of his career Larry was in charge of more than 500 million dollars in spending and as a result, he had to run effective meetings. These days Larry is retired and has ‘re-purposed’ himself as the owner of Topika Training and Development through which he helps organizations to become more effective overall. You can get in touch with Larry at www.topikatd.ca Quote "If you're spending more time talking about meetings than the actual time you're spending in meetings, then there is a problem." Gord Sheppard, Professional Meeting Facilitator and Consultant Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Do you want to poke your eyes out because someone won't shut-up during a meeting? Are you in meetings where what is being said has nothing to do with you? Don't you wish that people would just get to the point when they speak? Well, if that is the case then you're in for a treat because episode 007 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast will show you a step-by-step process to help you and your colleagues make excellent POINTs whenever it's your turn to talk in a meeting. In this podcast you'll learn: How to use the word POINT as an acronym to remind you about the steps you need to take to be more effective when you speak during a meeting How to Prepare your point by connecting with your colleagues and also allowing for 'blue-sky' time so you can be creative How to Optimize your point by boiling down your preparation and doing the right amount of rehearsal How to Invite feedback after you've said your point by not saying a word so your colleagues can speak their minds How to Name the hurdles and solutions so that you can move your point forward quickly (or else why are you meeting in the first place?) How to Take action and designate who will carry out the project and when they will get it done Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

If you had to change your the way you meet with your team right now, would you be resistant? Would your team be resistant? Change can be tough enough for one person and even more difficult for an entire team. Thankfully, today's expert is Shairose Lalani, a Change Management Professional who shares some of her best techniques to help you create more effective meetings. For example, in this podcast you'll learn: How to honestly respond to the question, "Why are we having this meeting?" How to embrace change even though it feels unnatural How to say no to "We've always done it this way" and move on Why letting people talk about themselves is so important, as long as it doesn't interfere with the purpose of your meetings Why you should watch Simon Sinek's fantastic TED talk titled, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" How to create a sense of urgency which will allow you to actually make the change occur How to answer the question, "If our organization didn't exist, what would happen?" Why your meetings should have a higher purpose How to ensure that the right people are in the meeting by creating a corporate culture that is mature enough to allow you not to invite people who won't be useful in the meeting Why it is important for your senior leader to be ambitious for the entire organization and how that approach can make your organization more profitable Why you should check your ego at the door before you enter a meeting Shairose's Top 3 Change Management Techniques Ask and answer the question 'Why are we meeting?' Create a sense of urgency Get the right people into each meeting About Shairose Lalani Shairose Lalani is an experienced senior leader with over 20 years of professional experience in change management, organizational development and operational leadership.  She has successfully managed, lead, and coached diverse teams in multiple industries and areas including: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)/Business Support/IT Projects Healthcare Rehabilitation & Disability Management Oil & Gas Government Non-Profit Organizations Shairose has demonstrated strength in the ability to quickly and accurately analyze a situation and work with stakeholders to create an appropriate solution.  Her success comes from building strong relationships and creating a compelling vision and road map for teams to follow. She is also Prosci certified, holds her Human Resource designation (CHRP), and has been certified to deliver the ExperienceChange workshop. If you'd like to get in touch with Shairose, please check out her website at lalaniconsulting.ca or send an email to shairose@lalaniconsulting.ca Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Links Mentioned In This Podcast Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action Leadership Wisdom From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari - by Robin S. Sharma

Are you tired of meetings that don't have a point and waste your valuable time? Are you ready to turn your meetings into a competitive advantage for your organization? Then you're in the right place because episode 3 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast will help you to profitably connect each and every one of your meetings directly to your organization strategy. Here's how: You'll learn about the 'Strategic Meeting Check-In' This will allow you to stop any meeting at any moment and connect that moment directly to your strategy It will also help you learn how to make that moment accountable so that you can get solid results from each one of your meetings You'll learn how to turn your strategic plan into plain, useful language Can you recite your vision statement word-for-word? Turning your strategic plan into plain language will allow everyone to carry it out no matter where they are in the organization How powerful would your next meeting be if it actually moved your strategic plan forward? Not only will you and your meeting team benefit, but your whole organization will become more profitable because of your targeted efforts to connect your meetings directly to your strategy. Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download!

Do you believe that sitting is the new smoking? Are you ready to try something new with your next meeting to make it more productive? Then it's time to try a walking meeting. Because whether you're a CEO, manager, employee or volunteer, if you want to make your next meeting more productive and profitable, then it's time to get mobile! And episode 4 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast can help you do just that, because it features expert walking meeting connoisseur Fred Keating. In this interview Fred shares valuable tips and inspiration that you can get moving right away including: How walking meetings are a great way to combine your daily exercise with getting together with your team How walking meetings get your blood moving so you can think more clearly and creatively How moving in the same direction changes the dynamic of your meeting because you're not making direct eye contact across a table, so it is less confrontational and you don't get the chance to over-read body-language How this is a great way to start a business relationship because you're sharing a common out-of-the-office experience that you will be able to refer back to for as long as you work together How walking meetings allow for what Fred calls 'plausible pauses', as in creative distractions that occur along the way that allow either person to stop and listen more deeply or formulate a more thorough answer. Plausible pauses might include seeing something in nature, noting some great architecture, stopping for a coffee etc. How you should bring a notebook and a pen for you, as well as an extra for whoever you're with so that when you stop for a 'plausible pause' you can then record your fantastic new discoveries How to choose where to walk so that you avoid crowds, traffic and allow for more continuous walking instead of stops and starts How to give you and your meeting team actual permission to do a walking meeting Why it is worthwhile to actually take a short drive to an inspiring location, instead of settling for the office boardroom About Fred Keating Fred Keating is a businessman, actor, corporate educator and the owner of Lindisfarne Productions, a successful video production company. He has appeared in television and film, as well as live in front of thousands at major corporate events across North America. Fred combines decades of work experience with a holistic approach to building relationships, which includes intentionally taking people out for walking meetings because Fred understands that it is one of the most profitable ways to do business. If you'd like to get in touch, you can reach Fred at  fred@monetizingyourcreativity.com Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Links Mentioned In This Podcast The Monetizing Your Creativity Podcast with Fred Keating and Marvin Polis Quote "You can learn everything you need to know about a man during the first three holes of a round of golf."  Fred Keating (who learned this saying from his Dad)    

Are you someone who has to run meetings but doesn't know where to begin? Or are you someone who wishes they could run the meeting because the guy who is running the meeting is useless? Or maybe you're just starting your meeting facilitation journey and you're looking for ideas.Well if any of these scenarios make sense to you, then you're in the right place! Because episode 3 of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast offers a step-by-step guide to help you run an outstanding meeting. Every time. And are the 15 steps:Figure out why you need to meetName your top three strategic objectives that make your organization profitableConnect everything that you want to accomplish in the upcoming meeting to the top three strategic objectivesChoose a great meeting locationWhere you meet is as important as what you're meeting aboutMake sure the room is beyond clean, as in, make it a place that will energize your team to reach their goalsPrepareDo the right amount of researchGo above and beyond when you prepare the agendaGive yourself some unstructured 'blue sky' time during which you can creatively prepare for the upcoming meetingKeep in touch with everyone leading up to the meetingHave a hallway chat with your colleaguesSend a question via textUse this process to weed out things you don't want to talk about at your upcoming meetingSet up earlyArrive at least 30 minutes early to make sure all technical aspects are ready and that the room is set up to help you achieve your meeting goalsGreet each person as they arriveThis is a great way to build rapportYou could ask them about their family or which sport they like to playOr you could ask them about their latest work projectIf you are the meeting leader, have someone introduce youPeople want to follow someone they trust and respectGetting an introduction will allow the whole team to learn something about you from another person's perspectiveWhen you introduce yourself, establish your credibilityYour meeting team wants to know that you have the skills to run a great meeting, so tell them a few select things that will give them the confidence that you can lead effectivelyExplain the agenda Start with an Attention-Grabber that is either funny, inspiring or seriousGive an overview of the meeting quickly so that people know what to expectHave each person introduce themselves an say why they're hereLook each person in the eye, one-by-one, and ask them to say something about themselves and also to state why they are and how they will be contributing to make the meeting more effectiveHelp people disagree productivelyProductive debate is good. Unhealthy fights are badAs a meeting facilitator you need to be able to referee disagreements effectivelyTechniques may inlcude; one person speaks; and making the disagreement about the issue and not about the peopleKeep the energy upStand up during the meetingLook at an inspring/funny Youtube videoSwitch seatsJust make sure that you have a variety of options to keep people engaged during the meetingSummarize ideas frequently and praise people whenever possibleActively listen, let the person who was talking to finish, then briefly repeat the main points of what they have said and ask the group if everyone agrees and that the point was clearWhen someone makes a great point, say something positive out loudCall to actionAt the end of the meeting have each person answer this question - "Given what we have discussed during the meeting today, say what you're going to do and when you're going to get it done."Follow upTreat each person in your meeting like they were your best customer by following up quickly and efficiently after each meetingRemember not to be hard on yourself if you can't do the steps all at once. Pick one or two to work on each week and within a few months you will easily be an expert at all of them! Not only will you and your meeting team benefit, but because your meetings will become more productive, then your organization will become more profitabl...

Welcome! How are your student group meetings going? Smoothly? Badly? Are you getting A's or D's? Because whether you're a student, or someone who supports students, and you want to help them make their next group meeting awesome, then you’re in the right place! Because episode 2 of the Create Awesome Meetings features Nicole Blomme, a business grad who successfully worked with more than 30 different student groups throughout her degree. In this interview Nicole shares practical insights and information that you can put to use right away including: How to be flexible and manage project priorities, even when you’re all busy, so you can get still get great marks on your projects How to deal with strong personalities and group conflicts How to recognize your role within the group so you can build on your best strengths and do your part effectively How to set an agenda that will help you stop talking about what you did on the weekend so you can get some work done How to build relationships with the right people so you can work with them multiple times How to use Facebook vs. Google Docs when it comes to sharing information How to write a group expectations checklist that also includes a ‘firing clause’ About Nicole Blomme Within the last year Nicole Blomme graduated with a b-com, set up her own social media company and also works full-time. She is also a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters. And Nicole is really proud of the experience that she gained doing group work in school and she encourages all students to learn as much as possible when working with each other because that experience is directly transferable to the real world of work. If you'd like to get in touch, you can reach Nicole on twitter @nicoleblomme Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Transcript: Click here to download a transcript for Episode 002 - "How Students Can Create Awesome Meetings"

Welcome! Welcome to the first episode of the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast! Whether you love meetings or hate them, this Podcast will give you a ton of information and inspiration to help you take action to make your next meeting more productive and profitable. Here's what you can expect from the Create Awesome Meetings Podcast: You'll learn from great guests who offer real-world advice about how to make meetings better You'll hear stories about the worst kinds of meetings that make you want to poke your eyes out, along with ways to solve that meeting pain Free downloads with great meeting tips that you can put into action right away to make your next meeting more effective Here's what you'll get in Episode 001: I tell you why I love meetings You'll learn how to do a quick calculation about your meeting cost-per-hour I describe how you can use the "10 Ways To Create Awesome Meetings Checklist" to take action and make your meetings more effective Please Don't Wait To Make Your Next Meeting Awesome! How many meetings do you go to in a week? How many meetings have you been to in your lifetime? I have run and participated in more than 2000 meetings. Some were horrible. Some were great. And so many of them were just OK. These are the meetings that I am really interested in improving. The meetings where there is still a spark, but the team just doesn't quite know what to do next to make the meetings more profitable. So please join me in my quest to change the world, one meeting at a time. You can do this by; putting what you learned in this podcast into action; you can also check out the blog, webinars and workshops on this website; you could also hire a professional facilitator to help you with your next meeting; and you can find inspiration from your meeting team members, and no matter what, just do whatever you can to make your next meeting as productive as possible. Inspirational quote featured in this episode: "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can today"- Benjamin Franklin Send an email to info@meetingleadershipinc.com to get the FREE download! Transcript: Click here to download a transcript for Episode 001 - 'Why I Create Awesome Meetings'