You have just taken on a new management position. Refer to the photo in Exhibit 11.3.(https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/11-2-types-of-communications-in-organizations#ch16fig03)

You have just taken on a new management position. Refer to the photo in Exhibit 11.3.(https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/11-2-types-of-communications-in-organizations#ch16fig03)
Tit le : A uth ors : P ublic atio n In fo rm atio n: R eso urc e T yp e: D escrip tio n: S ubje cts : C ate g orie s: R ela te d IS B Ns: O CLC : Accessio n N um ber: P ublis h er P erm is sio ns: P ers is te n t lin k t o t h is r e co rd (P erm alin k): C ut a n d P aste : T he lin k in fo rm atio n b elo w p ro vid es a p ers is te nt lin k to th e a rtic le y o u’v e r e queste d. P ers is te nt lin k to th is r e co rd : F ollo w in g th e lin k b elo w w ill b rin g y o u to th e s ta rt o f th e a rtic le o r c it a tio n. C ut a nd P aste : T o p la ce a rtic le lin ks in a n e xte rn al w eb d ocu m ent, s im ply c o py a nd p aste th e H TM L b elo w , s ta rtin g w it h ” < a h re f” T o c o ntin ue, in In te rn et E xp lo re r, s e le ct F IL E th en S AVE A S fr o m y o ur b ro w se r’s to olb ar a bove . B e s u re to s a ve a s a p la in te xt file ( .tx t) o r a ‘W eb P age, H TM L o nly ‘ file ( .h tm l) . In F ir e F ox, s e le ct F IL E th en S AVE F IL E A S fr o m y o ur b ro w se r’s to olb ar a bove . In C hro m e, s e le ct rig ht c lic k (w it h y o ur m ouse ) o n th is p age a nd s e le ct S AVE A S Reco rd : 1 T he N onverb al A dvanta ge : S ecre ts a nd S cie nce o f B ody L anguage a t W ork G om an, C aro l K in sey S an F ra ncis co, C alif : B erre tt- K oehle r P ublis hers . 2 008 eB ook. T he w ork pla ce is a “ b lin k” w orld : s tu die s s how th at w e fo rm o pin io ns o f o ne a noth er w it h in s even s econds o f m eetin g a nd th at 9 3 p erc ent o f th e m essages p eople r e ceiv e fr o m u s h ave n oth in g to d o w it h w hat w e a ctu ally s ay. S o th e a bilit y to r e cogniz e a nd d evelo p g ood n onverb al c om munic atio n s kills c an b e a h uge p ro fe ssio nal a dvanta ge. C aro l K in sey G om an c om bin es th e la te st r e searc h a nd h er tw enty -fiv e y ears o f p ra ctic al e xperie nce a s a c onsult a nt, c oach, a nd th era pis t in th is fu n a nd p ra ctic al g uid e to u nders ta ndin g w hat y ou a nd th e p eople y ou w ork w it h a re s ayin g w it h out speakin g. C arto ons, p hoto s, e nte rta in in g a necdote s, a nd d ozens o f s im ple a nd e nlig hte nin g e xerc is es h elp r e aders g ain c ontr o l o f th e m essages th eir b odie s a re s endin g s o th ey c an p ro je ct a m ore a ccura te a nd c om pellin g p ic tu re o f w ho th ey re ally a re to th eir c olle agues, c lie nts , a nd p artn ers . N onverb al c om munic atio n in th e w ork pla ce B ody la nguage B U SIN ESS & E C O NO M IC S / S kills 9 781576754924. 9 781576757741. 309783679 260693 P rin t/E -m ail/ S ave 1 00 P ages U nlim it e d C opy/P aste h ttp ://e zpro xy.u m gc.e du/lo gin ?url= http s://s earc h.e bscohost.c om /lo gin .a spx? dir e ct= tr u e& db= nle bk& AN =260693& sit e = eds-liv e& scope= sit e < A h re f= “h ttp ://e zpro xy.u m gc.e du/lo gin ?url= http s://s earc h.e bscohost.c om /lo gin .a spx? dir e ct= tr u e& db= nle bk& AN =260693& sit e = eds-liv e& scope= sit e “> The N onverb al A dvanta ge : S ecre ts a nd S cie nce o f Data b ase: B ody L anguage a t W ork < /A > eB ook C olle ctio n ( E BSC O host)
You have just taken on a new management position. Refer to the photo in Exhibit 11.3.(https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/11-2-types-of-communications-in-organizations#ch16fig03)
Tit le : A uth ors : S ourc e: D ocu m en t T yp e: S ubje cts : A bstr a ct: L exile : F ull T ext W ord C ount: IS SN : Accessio n N um ber: P ers is te n t lin k t o t h is r e co rd (P erm alin k): C ut a n d P aste : D ata b ase: T he lin k in fo rm atio n b elo w p ro vid es a p ers is te nt lin k to th e a rtic le y o u’v e r e queste d. P ers is te nt lin k to th is r e co rd : F ollo w in g th e lin k b elo w w ill b rin g y o u to th e s ta rt o f th e a rtic le o r c it a tio n. C ut a nd P aste : T o p la ce a rtic le lin ks in a n e xte rn al w eb d ocu m ent, s im ply c o py a nd p aste th e H TM L b elo w , s ta rtin g w it h ” < a h re f” T o c o ntin ue, in In te rn et E xp lo re r, s e le ct F IL E th en S AVE A S fr o m y o ur b ro w se r’s to olb ar a bove . B e s u re to s a ve a s a p la in te xt file ( .tx t) o r a ‘W eb P age, H TM L o nly ‘ file ( .h tm l) . In F ir e F ox, s e le ct F IL E th en S AVE F IL E A S fr o m y o ur b ro w se r’s to olb ar a bove . In C hro m e, s e le ct rig ht c lic k (w it h y o ur m ouse ) o n th is p age a nd s e le ct S AVE A S Reco rd : 1 B O DY L A N G UAG E. Lars on, A lin a P osit iv e T hin kin g. N ov/D ec2006, p 46-5 2. 7 p. A rtic le B O DY la nguage E M PLO YM EN T in te rv ie w in g P R O M OTIO NS PO W ER ( S ocia l s cie nces) E YE c onta ct T he a rtic le d is cusses s evera l b ond-b uild in g b ody-la nguage te chniq ues. T o m ake a p osit iv e in it ia l im pre ssio n d urin g a jo b in te rv ie w , th is a rtic le s uggests tr y in g to a ppear c alm a nd a t e ase a nd a lig nin g th e r ig ht e ase w it h th e in te rv ie w er’s r ig ht eye. M eanw hile , to o bta in p ro m otio ns, th is a rtic le s ta te s th at s m all, c ontr o lle d m ovem ents p ro je ct p ow er. S o d oes s it tin g at e it h er e nd o f a r e cta ngula r ta ble d urin g m eetin gs. 890 1504 1545-2 778 23331396 http ://e zpro xy.u m gc.e du/lo gin ?url= http s://s earc h.e bscohost.c om /lo gin .a spx? dir e ct= tr u e& db= f5 h& AN =23331396& sit e = eds-liv e& scope= sit e < A h re f= “h ttp ://e zpro xy.u m gc.e du/lo gin ?url= http s://s earc h.e bscohost.c om /lo gin .a spx? dir e ct= tr u e& db= f5 h& AN =23331396& sit e = eds-liv e& scope= sit e “> B O DY L A N G UAG E.< /A > M aste rF IL E P re m ie r B ODY L A NGUAGE What Y ours S ays A bout Y ou ” L et m e h ear y o ur b ody t a lk ,” s an g O liv ia N ew to n-J o hn. T ru th is , f a cia l e xp re ssio ns, p ostu re a n d g estu re s s ay a s m uch as w ord s–a n d s o m etim es m ore T H E M OST E FFE C TIV E W AY F O R P EO PLE T O com munic ate fa ce-to -fa ce is th ro ugh th e w ord s w e u se. R ig ht? W ell, th is m ig ht n ot b e th e b est th in g fo r som eone w ho w ork s w it h w ord s to a dm it , b ut th e a nsw er is : n ot e xactly . A U CLA s tu dy fo und th at c om munic atio n is 7 p erc ent v erb al ( th e w ord s a ctu ally s poken), 3 8 p erc ent v ocal ( to ne o f v oic e) a nd 5 5 p erc ent n onverb al. S till h ave d oubts a bout th e im porta nce o f b ody la nguage? J ust a sk p ro fe ssio nal p oker p la yers w hat th ey s tu dy m ost c are fu lly a bout o pponents –th ey lo ok fo r te lls , s m all c hanges in b ehavio r th at in dic ate a p la yer’s c onfid ence in h is h and. O r ta lk to a v ete ra n s tr e et c op a bout h ow , e ven in a c ro w d, s he c an s pot som eone w ho’s u p to n o g ood–it u sually h as v ery lit tle to d o w it h w hat th e p ers on’s s ayin g a nd a lo t to d o w it h h ow h e’s a ctin g. F ro m th e w ay y our h ead is tilt e d to w here y our to es a re p oin tin g, y our w hole b ody is s endin g m essages. W heth er y ou’r e ta lk in g to y our b oss, y our k id s o r y our new n eig hbor, y ou c an s ay, ” I’m c onfid ent, s m art, fr ie ndly a nd tr u stw orth y”–a ll w it h out a w ord . “I’m t h e o ne f o r t h e jo b” You’v e r e hears ed b rillia nt lin es fo r th e jo b in te rv ie w , th e fo llo w -u p m eetin gs w it h m anagers a nd th e e le vato r r id e w it h th e h ead h oncho. B ut w hat’s y our b ody la nguage s ayin g to y our p ote ntia l e m plo yer–“G iv e m e a le g u p” o r ” B oot m e o ut th e d oor”? T he fir s t im pre ssio n y ou m ake is c ru cia l. R esearc h s how s th at n ot o nly d o p eople m ake ju dgm ents w it h in 1 0 s econds o f m eetin g s om eone, b ut a ls o th at th ose in it ia l im pre ssio ns s tic k. Try y our b est to a ppear c alm a nd a t e ase. D ir e ct e ye c onta ct is im porta nt b ut d on’t m ake it a s ta re dow n, w hic h c an b e c onstr u ed a s a c halle nge to a uth orit y . In ste ad, lo ok a t th e c ente r o f th e tr ia ngle fo rm ed b y th e e yes a nd n ose o f th e o th er p ers on. C ount to th re e a s y ou g iv e a fir m , b ut n ot v is e-g rip , h andshake. A lig n y our r ig ht e ye w it h th e in te rv ie w er’s r ig ht e ye, s uggests b ody la nguage e xpert T o nya R eit m an. T hat w ay y ou’r e r e achin g h is le ft b ra in , th e lo gic al, n on- em otio nal h alf . If th e in te rv ie w er is in a b ad m ood, h is r ig ht b ra in ( th e e m otio nal h alf ) m ig ht p ro je ct th at n egativ e s ta te o nto y ou. If y ou’v e g ot a g ood jo b, h ere ‘s h ow to p ut y ours elf in lin e fo r th at b ig r a is e o r p ro m otio n. W hen y ou’r e s peakin g, s ave th e h uge h and m otio ns fo r y our b uddie s. S m all, c ontr o lle d m ovem ents p ro je ct p ow er. S o d oes s it tin g a t e it h er e nd o f a r e cta ngula r ta ble d urin g m eetin gs. If y ou c an’t s nag th ose s eats , a void th e o nes rig ht n ext to th em –th ey’r e c onsid ere d th e s id ekic k s pots . G iv in g a s peech o r a s ale s p it c h? K eep th e to ne a nd p it c h o f y our v oic e r e la xed. R eit m an re com mends c hillin g o ut b efo re hand b y b re ath in g d eeply 1 0 tim es. A nd M om w as r ig ht: G ood p ostu re w ork s w onders ! S ta nd u p s tr a ig ht, w it h y our n eck a lig ned w it h y our s hould ers a nd h ead. S lo uchin g o r le anin g m akes y ou appear m ore c are le ss th an r e la xed, th e la st im pre ssio n y ou w ant to g iv e. “I’m f r ie n dly ” O kay, y ou’v e m aste re d th e a rt o f s m all ta lk ( s ee p age 1 7). D on’t y ou w ant y our b ody to p ro je ct a n e qually v iv acio us v ib e in s ocia l s it u atio ns? W it h y our h ead lo w ere d, a rm s fo ld ed a nd s hould ers s lu m ped, fo lk s w on’t r e aliz e h ow fr ie ndly y ou a re . T ry th is s ta nce, w hic h is a lo t m ore w elc om in g: h ead u p, a rm s r e la xed, chest a nd s hould ers o pen. In it ia te c onvers atio n w it h th at m ost b asic o f ic e-b re akers : a s m ile . A s ecre t s m ile , a dds D oe L ang, P h.D ., a uth or o f T he N ew S ecre ts o f C haris m a. F ir s t th in k o f som eth in g y ou r e ally lo ve, s om eth in g th at m akes y ou g rin . T hen r e la x y our m outh , le avin g th e tr a ces o f th at e xpre ssio n o n y our c heeks a nd in y our e yes. T his r e sult in g s m ile is a n in vit in g c om bin atio n o f w arm a nd m yste rio us. H ere ‘s a noth er b ond-b uild in g b ody-la nguage te chniq ue: m ir ro rin g. T he n ext tim e y ou m eet s om eone y ou’d lik e to b ecom e c lo ser to , c opy th eir g estu re s. N ot a t th e s am e tim e th ey d o it . B ut if th ey fo ld th eir a rm s o r r a is e th eir v oic e, m im ic th e b ehavio r a fe w m in ute s la te r to in cre ase r a pport. B e s ure to s ta y a t a c om fo rta ble d is ta nce, th ough. T hat d is ta nce is d if fe re nt in d if fe re nt c ountr ie s a nd c ult u re s. In th e U nit e d S ta te s, it ‘s g enera lly tw o to th re e fe et a w ay. D on’t w orry : Y ou’ll k now y ou’r e s ta ndin g to o c lo se if th e o th er p ers on ta kes a s te p b ack. “I’m in te re ste d ” Lookin g fo r lo ve? M any o f th e s am e b ody la nguage c ues th at y ou u se in o th er s ocia l s it u atio ns a pply w hen y ou’r e m eetin g a p ote ntia l d ate . S ta nd u p s tr a ig ht and k eep y our s hould ers b ack to in dic ate y ou’r e r e ceptiv e. If y ou’r e s it tin g, k eep y our le gs c ro ssed o r to geth er ( th is g oes fo r b oth g enders ). A nd d on’t fo rg et to s m ile th at a llu rin g s ecre t s m ile w e to ld y ou a bout. S how y our o penness a nd v uln era bilit y b y to uchin g y our n eck. T his g estu re h as a n a lm ost u niv ers al a ppeal. Y ou’r e d ra w in g a tte ntio n to a w eak s pot, a nd th at sends th e m essage, ” I tr u st y ou.” H ere ‘s a noth er g estu re th at a ppeals to b oth w om en a nd m en. C ock y our h ead to th e s id e w hile lif tin g o ne s hould er s lig htly . O ne, th is le ts th e o th er p ers on k now you’r e in te re ste d in th em . T w o, it lo oks a bsolu te ly a dora ble . ( If y ou h ave a d og, y ou k now h ow e ffe ctiv e th is is !) M ir ro rin g w ork s p artic ula rly w ell in a r o m antic c onte xt. W e u nconscio usly m im ic th e a ctio ns o f th ose w e fin d a ttr a ctiv e, a nd m ir ro rin g p la ys r ig ht in to th at in stin ct. O nce y ou s ense y ou’v e m ade a r e al c onnectio n w it h s om eone, tr y s om e fr ie ndly to uch. T o uchin g s om eone’s a rm o r h and to e m phasiz e a v erb al p oin t show s w arm th a nd s ays o nce a gain , ” Y es, I’m in te re ste d.” ” I’m in c h arg e” B ody la nguage s eem s to b e a n a lm ost in tu it iv e fo rm o f c om munic atio n. A ll c hild re n, e ven b lin d c hild re n, g estu re b efo re th ey le arn h ow to s peak. K id s a re k een re aders o f b ody la nguage. If th ey’r e in n eed o f a lit tle d is cip lin e, g o b ack o nce m ore to w hat y ou le arn ed fr o m M om : G ood p ostu re c onveys a uth orit y . B ut if y ou w ant to m ake s ure y our c hild re n u nders ta nd y ou a nd s ee th at y ou c are , g et d ow n to th eir le vel. C om munic atin g fa ce-to -fa ce w it h k id s te lls th em , ” I’m g iv in g y ou m y fu ll a tte ntio n” a nd it w ill g et y ou th eir s in r e tu rn . T here ‘s e vid ence th at g estu re s g o h and-in -h and w it h le arn in g e ven a s k id s g et o ld er. A r e cent C olg ate U niv ers it y s tu dy r e veale d th at c olle ge s tu dents h ave a b ette r u nders ta ndin g o f m ate ria l ta ught b y p ro fe ssors w ho u se g estu re s w hile th ey’r e le ctu rin g. N ot o nly th at, th ey r e ta in th e in fo rm atio n lo nger. T his p ro bably c om es a s n o s urp ris e to a nyone w ho’s liv ed w it h a d og: C om munic atio n w it h o ur c anin e c om panio ns is m ostly n onverb al. It’s a ll a bout b ody la nguage, e ye c onta ct a nd to ne o f v oic e. A s d og tr a in er S ara h H odgson p uts it in h er b ook D ogP erfe ct, ” a r e la xed, u prig ht b ody p ostu re c om munic ate s p urp ose and u nders ta ndin g. T e nsin g u p… te lls y our d og y ou’r e o ut o f c ontr o l. A nd if y ou’r e o ut o f c ontr o l, w ho’s g oin g to s et th e e xam ple ?” “W hat a re y o u s ayin g?” N ow th at y ou’r e c onscio us o f th e m essages y our b ody la nguage is c onveyin g, h ere ‘s h ow to in te rp re t th at o f o th ers . If th ey’r e p re enin g–fix in g th eir h air o r s tr a ig hte nin g th eir c lo th es, fo r e xam ple –th ey’r e p re ppin g fo r a n a ppro ach a nd w ant to lo ok th eir b est. A d efin it e s ig n o f in te re st. S o is e ye c onta ct. A w om an w ill o fte n s w eep h er e yes u p, d ow n a nd b ack u p a gain . D ila te d p upils a nd r a is ed e yebro w s a re b oth in dic ato rs o f a ttr a ctio n. A w om an w ill tilt h er h ead if s he’s in to w hat y ou’r e s ayin g; a m an w ill r u b h is c hin . B ut w atc h o ut fo r a m an w ho lo oks lik e h e’s s tr o kin g a fa ke b eard . H is m essage is , ” Y ou’r e s o lo ng-w in ded, I c ould g ro w a b eard w ait in g fo r y ou to g et to th e p oin t!” L eg jig glin g, to e ta ppin g a nd fr e quent b lin kin g c an r e veal n erv ousness o r im patie nce. R ubbin g th e h ead o r n eck m ig ht m ean b ore dom . D efe nsiv e s ta nces in clu de c ro ssed a rm s o r h ands in p ockets . P en c hew ers d on’t fe el c onfid ent a bout s peakin g a nd u se th is m ove to o ccupy th eir m outh s. W om en te nd to fid dle w it h th eir h air if th ey n eed to c om pose th eir th oughts . A nd d on’t fo rg et to lo ok a t th e fe et. If s om eone w ants to h ead fo r th e d oor, h is fe et w ill p oin t th at w ay. T he b ig gest m is conceptio ns a bout b ody la nguage h ave to d o w it h ly in g a nd e ye c onta ct. A n a verte d g aze d oesn’t n ecessarily m ean d is honesty . P eople w ho a re ly in g o fte n s cra tc h th eir n oses, to uch o th er p arts o f th eir fa ce o r g iv e a fa ke y aw n–a ll w ays to d is tr a ct fr o m w hat th ey’r e s ayin g. If y ou’r e tr y in g to fig ure o ut w heth er s om eone’s fib bin g, w atc h fo r th e le ft h and r u bbin g th e le ft s id e o f th e fa ce, s ays b ody la nguage e xpert J an H arg ra ve. T he r ig ht, o r c re ativ e, s id e o f th e bra in c ontr o ls th e le ft s id e o f th e b ody. S o th e le ft s id e b ecom es a ctiv e w hen a lia r e xerc is es c re ativ it y a nd s pin s a ta le . A n h onest p ers on, th ough, e m phasiz es his w ord s b y p uttin g h is r ig ht h and o ver h is h eart. T hat g iv es a w hole n ew m eanin g to s peakin g r ig ht fr o m th e h eart, d oesn’t it ? ~ ~~~~~~~ B y A lin a L ars on P hoto gra phs b y J osh C am pbell C opyrig ht o f P osit iv e T hin kin g is th e p ro perty o f G uid eposts a C hurc h C orp ora tio n ( G PC ) a nd it s c onte nt m ay n ot b e c opie d o r e m aile d to m ult ip le s it e s o r poste d to a lis ts erv w it h out th e c opyrig ht h old er’s e xpre ss w rit te n p erm is sio n. H ow ever, u sers m ay p rin t, d ow nlo ad, o r e m ail a rtic le s fo r in div id ual u se.
You have just taken on a new management position. Refer to the photo in Exhibit 11.3.(https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/11-2-types-of-communications-in-organizations#ch16fig03)
W o r d s R ic h a rd D u n n e t t H o w t o … b e g o o d a t m e e t in g s Unnecessary an d ill- tim e d m e e tin g s are e s tim a te d to cost businesses £26bn a year, w ith colleagues w a s tin g a lm o s t th re e hour cv W h o C aroline W e b b R ole C h ie f ex e c u tiv e , S e v e n s h ift; e x te rn a l s e n io r ad v is e r, M c Kin sev & C o m p a n y Edu catio n U n iv e rs ity o f O x ford , M Phil, ec o n o m ic s ; U n iv e rs ity o f C a m b r id g e , BA, e c o n o m i c P revio u s po sitio n s P a r tn e r a n d le a d e rs h ip coach, M c Kin sey & C o m p a n y ; e c o n o m is t, B a n k o f E n g la n d ; e c o n o m is t, Levy E c o n o m ic In s titu t e Coachin g F o u n d in g f e llo w o f H a r v a r d – a ffilia t e d In s titu t e o f C oa chin g Fo r m any directors, back-to- back meetings have become th e norm , reducing th e tim e th ey can work on th e business ra th e r th a n just in it. If you ever come o u t o f a m eeting thinking, ‘T hat’s an h o u r o f my life I’ll never get back’, chances are you’re n o t alone. In h e r n ew b o o k How to Have a Good Day, Caroline Webb – chief executive of behavioural science firm Sevenshift – discusses h o w ‘m eeting’ has som ehow becom e a dirty word. W hen som eone tells us th ey have had a day full o f meetings we feel pity ra th e r th a n envy, says Webb. Research in 2011 by O pinion Matters, w hich fo u n d th a t workers waste tw o h o urs 39 m inutes in meetings a week, equivalent to £26bn in lost GDP, appears to echo Webb’s conclusions that, even for otherw ise social creatures, such interaction has become onerous. Webb – an econom ist w ho sp e n t 12 years as p a rtn e r and leadership coach at m anagem ent consultancy firm McKinsey & Company before founding Sevenshift fo u r years ago – says: “We often focus attention on what-we’re discussing – the do cu m en t w e’re sharing, th e decision we n eed to make, th e message we w an t to get across – a n d very little to how w e’re having th e conversations. The n u m b er o f tim es I’ve seen sm art people spend long weeks p utting to g eth er a presentation, followed b y just a few m inutes – often on th e way to th e m eeting – o n how to make th e m o st o f them… It’s a huge missed opportunity.” So w h e th e r you’re chairing th e m eeting o r simply attending it, here are a few o f Webb’s tips for m aking sure y ou’re on to p form… A v o i d g r o u p t h i n k . A g r e e m e n t is g r e a t b u t i f t h e r e ’s n o c h a l l e n g e , y o u ’r e p r o b a b l y m is s in g p a r t o f t h e p i c t u r e ”1 Prepare W hatever y our role, preparation is crucial, says Webb. She recom m ends setting in ten tio n s beforehand, including yo u r m ain p rio rity for th e meeting, challenging any negative expectations an d deciding w here you w ant to focus yo u r attention. ‘‘Which specific actions will help you m ake th o se intentions a reality, an d w h a t’s going to get in th e way o f things going as you h o pe?’’ she asks. “If you’re stressed a b o u t th e meeting, use physical feedback loops – smile broadly, breathe deeply, spread yourself o u t – shoulders back, head up, feet firmly planted.” And if you have a h an d in planning th e meeting, Webb advises you to th in k a b o u t th e timing. ‘‘Make it slightly sh orter th a n an h o u r o r h alf h o u r to give people som e m ental recovery time. And d o n ’t ru n over 90 m inutes w ith o u t a p ro p e r break.” W hen it comes to th e agenda, Webb says: “Try listing and introducing item s as questions, n o t statements: for example, ‘How can we improve team com m unication?’ ra th e r than ‘Team com m unication’.” 2 Start on a strong footing If you find th a t meetings stray aimlessly from th e agenda o r finish w ith o u t resolving th e issues, th e n Webb’s advice o n collaborative goal settings could prove useful. “Ask, ‘W here do we w an t to be by th e e n d o f th is m eeting?’ and ‘W hat’s th e best way to achieve th at?”’ she suggests, even if you are n o t form ally chairing th e meeting. And if a positive attitude can help fram e th e m eeting th en try asking people to share th eir recent successes. She adm its to setting up a ‘sm a rtp h o n e day-care’ box “where people can voluntarily deposit th e ir p h o n e s” as p a rt o f a n o ­ devices rule. “Otherwise people will use up som e o f th e ir b ra in ’sprecious w orking m e m o ry on m o nitoring th e ir ph o n es and tablets, m aking everyone just a little bit d u m b er th a n th ey would be if th e y were concentrating.” 3 Making your mark Even if you’re n o t chairing th e meeting, using anecdotes th a t show an effect on colleagues o r custom ers will help make y our contributions m emorable, says Webb. “W ith longer comments, break yo u r p oints into clear chunks to make it easier for people to process w h a t y ou’re saying. If 5 8 D ir e c to r F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 WorodsH srw t.bsew g week in get-togethers they could do without. How can you make the most of your meetings and ensure they matter? S t r o n g b o d y l a n g u a g e w i l l h e l p m a k e y o u r i n t e n t i o n s a r e a l i t y you need to disagree or raise a concern, help others stay in open- minded discovery mode as you share your views. Say what you like about the idea on the table. Be very specific. Then say, ‘What would make me like it more is…’” 4 Im p ro v in g t h e discussion Harmony is all well and good but if a meeting is to be successful then consensual nodding of heads may do little for the business. Avoid groupthink, says Webb. “It can feel great to reach quick agreement. But if you’re talking about something im portant and there’s no challenge, you’re probably missing part of the picture.” She suggests picking holes w ith questions such as, ’If person X were here, criticising our idea, what would they say – and what would we need to reassure them?’ On the flipside, if a meeting closes without agreement on all points, Webb recommends promoting calm by clarifying what you can agree on, and if you can agree to disagree on the rest. “If not, do your best to summarise each position objectively, doing justice to each idea.” 5 H a n d lin g c h a lle n g in g b e h a v io u r “If people are being annoying, remember they’reprobably feeling threatened by one of the common triggers: exclusion, unfairness, feeling unappreciated, a lack of autonomy, lack of competence, a threat to their values, or uncertainty,” says Webb. She suggests observing rather than trying to interpret their actions and thinking about w hether their needs are being met. “Even if you’re not the chair, you can make them feel included by expressing interest in their views, and you can make them feel heard and respected by referring back to something they’ve said.” 6 W r a p p in g up Where possible do a positive round-up. Webb suggests taking time to recap key decisions, reflect on insights from the meeting and agree on steps that each person will take. “You can combine it with a ‘next steps’ summary from each person, by asking everyone to say one thing they were interested or inspired to hear in the meeting and what they’re committed to doing, by when.” H ow to Hove a Good Day by Caroline Webb published by Macmillan, £14.99 H s e v e n s h i l t . c o m □ (® C a r o lin e _ W e b b _ % REDUCTION IN WASTE WITH WORKFORCE PRO RIPS or more information visit www.epson.eu/inkjetsavingThe results speak for themselves Independent tests are based on comparisons with competitive laser printers epson.co.uk/RIPSHIGHLY RECOMMENDED EPSON E X C E E D Y O U R V I S I O N Copyright ofDirector isthe property ofDirector Publications Ltd.anditscontent maynotbe copied oremailed tomultiple sitesorposted toalistserv without thecopyright holder’s express writtenpermission. 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