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1. Have an agenda for every meeting. Begin by reviewing the agenda and
ONLY add items your customer feels are important. If someone is adamant
that their issue is important to discuss, sidetrack that by taking an
action to call a separate meeting.
2. Stick to the agenda!
3. If the meeting wanders off or gets sidetracked, take control. Take
an action to have a side meeting or separate discussion for off-topic
issues. Don't let the troublemakers take control! It helps to start
your meeting by explaining the three knock rule: "I will knock on the
table three times if I feel we are out of control."
4. Have someone else take minutes so you can focus on the discussion.
5. Assign action items and have them published in the meeting minutes.
6. Follow up on the action items. It often helps to start by reviewing
actions from the last meeting and their current status.
Good luck!
Steve Cavanaugh
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+scavanaugh=nat-seattle -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+scavanaugh=nat-seattle -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
On Behalf Of Anthony
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 5:42 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Meeting (Teleconference) Facilitation
Hello Everyone,
I was asked earlier today to begin leading a series of teleconference
meetings with our partners and clients for the purposes of discussing
status and the necessary requirements involved in a range of project
documentation I am partially responsible for. It seems the person that
last held the facilitation role did not do a very good job.
My manager warned me that some of the regular meeting attendees seem
bent on causing trouble rather than assisting with the overall meeting
by constantly nitpicking about small details and/or trying to shine at
everyone else's expense.
Meeting facilitation is new to me, but I want to do a good job.
Is there anyone on the list who could make some suggestions for handling
such meetings and (most
importantly) troublesome people and their questions?
Thanks for the input.
- Anthony
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printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
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full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
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