Office meetings. Look, most of you are not a fan of them, but they are necessary for a number of reasons. But some of you are guilty of using the time spent in meetings to scroll Instagram, doodle on your notepad, or otherwise keep yourself distracted enough to get through without learning anything. As a matter of fact, you might be a distraction to those who are actually attempting to be attentive.
When you are attending a meeting, you want to make the most of it. You want to have the right people there and you want everyone to be paying attention, listening, and otherwise making the best of their time. And while the arrival of cool tools like smartphones, tablets, and laptops makes taking notes easier, they also are tools of major distraction.
Whether you are heading up a meeting or merely attending one, there are ways in which you can make the meeting effective and proper manners you should be following. Arctic Coolers, your water cooler service in New Jersey, offers ways you can make meetings better.
Be On Time
Make sure that you arrive plenty early to the meeting, you certainly don’t want to waste others’ time by not being punctual. It is especially important if you are leading the meeting to be on time.
Make Introductions
If there are people at the meeting who have never met, you need to make introductions. The proper way to do this is by introducing people in order of their rank. For example, you should introduce the vice president before a manager.
Be Prepared
Whether you are heading up the meeting, giving a presentation at the meeting or just there to take notes, you need to come to the meeting prepared. It is important that you double-check to ensure you have everything you need before heading to the meeting.
The Sound Of Silence
It is not enough to merely silence your smartphone at a meeting, you need to keep it tucked away. The one thing that is worse than a ringing phone during a meeting is a smartphone that you can hear vibrating or see flashing. Lights and vibrations are distracting to everybody around you.
Keep A Good Attitude
Meetings are not recess for employees, so keep your shoes on and fight the urge to slouch at your chair. Show a little respect for the meeting by acting in a professional manner, staying attentive, and remaining engaged. A positive attitude starts with your body language, so sit up straight, look others in the eye while talking with them and wear a genuine smile on your face.
Avoid Nervous Habits
Some people have nervous habits that are distracting to others, like drumming your fingers on the table or tapping your pen. Other nervous habits that are distracting include shuffling your feet constantly, rustling papers, and twirling your hair. Be self-aware while you are attending meetings and make sure you aren’t partaking in any of these habits.
Don’t Eat At The Meeting
The only time it is acceptable to eat during a meeting is if everybody else is. If the meeting caters food and it is expected that you eat during the meeting, then it’s fine. But don’t bring an apple to your meeting and start crunching on it in the middle of a presentation. You should also sustain from chewing gum.
Be Active And Participate
It is important to be courteous and quiet when others are talking or otherwise making a point, but you need to be sure that you are also an active participant. It is also important to be a good listener while others are making a point.
Only Invite Necessary People
If you are heading up a meeting, only invite necessary people. Include only the people who are relevant to the discussion in the matter. If you have too many people involved who aren’t directly related, it is just a huge waste of their time.
Choose The Right Time
Try to keep in mind when scheduling a meeting that everybody has a different schedule than yours. You might be willing to have a meeting at 7 a.m., but many of your colleagues don’t get to the office until 8 a.m. Also, you might have lunch at 11 and decide to hold a meeting at 12 or 1, which might be right in the middle of lunch for others.
Choose The Right Room
The size of the meeting room depends on the number of people attending, the supplies needed, and the type of meeting you are having. The room in which you have presentations isn’t the same room you have brainstorm sessions.
How Long?
We have all been in meetings that have lasted way too long. There are meetings scheduled out for two hours when half that amount of time is adequate. Make sure your meeting isn’t going on longer than necessary.
The meeting room is an ideal place for a water cooler. Call Arctic Coolers Inc. today.
