Have you ever participated in a conference call with a client that you felt was unproductive or frustrating? It’s safe to say if you’re in business, you’ve probably had at least one of these, and you know exactly what it feels like to end that call feeling like you’ve accomplished nothing. Conference calls are a […]
Meetings
What About the Forecast?
Forecasting is important to our business, we spend a lot of time (often too much) on forecasts. But too often, we get forecasting wrong. Some observations: We strive for forecast accuracy, but we will never be perfectly accurate. Even the dictionary calls it a prediction or an estimate. Yet we waste a lot of time […]
4 Tips for Creating 2-Way Dialogue with All-Hands Meetings
From eye-rolls visible in an open-plan office to sizeable groans behind closed doors, the announcement of an all-hands meeting doesn’t always receive the response you want. In reality, they might be the opposite of what you expect. In your mind, your prepared speech may be award-winning (if such an awards show existed—and you believe it […]
The 4 Leadership Skills You Need During Conflict-Resolution Meetings
You’re bound to witness or experience conflict in your small business. Knowing how to handle and defuse employee conflict can promote a healthy, productive workplace. But sometimes, people prefer to avoid conflict rather than address it. As the head of your business, you can’t run away from conflict. Instead, you need to hone your leadership […]
What Did the Customer Learn as a Result of Our Meeting?
Usually, after a sales call, we ask ourselves, “Did I accomplish my objectives?” (That is if you assess yourself after the sales call.) It’s a critical question, we need to be purposeful and focused in each of our meetings with the customer. At the same time, it’s self-centered—we sales people tend to be very self-centered […]
How to Address the Root Causes of Unproductive Meetings
The “no-meeting day” has recently become a phenomenon of sorts. The idea is to give employees an entire work day that their company, department or team has designated 100 percent meeting-free. Companies in the technology, healthcare and business sectors have been eager to implement this practice to create space for employees to engage in focused […]
What to Do to Get More Done Every Day
Company culture isn’t all about group outings and team building. You can build a culture that promotes productivity and efficiency, engaging employees and boosting your bottom line at the same time. This is especially valuable for startups and small businesses, where every penny counts. The key is implementing the right initiatives and ideas that promote productivity […]
Design Your Sales Calls for Success
Some years ago, we did research on the effectiveness of sales calls and meetings. We focused primarily on meeting on qualified opportunities, not prospecting calls. The results were shocking, though not surprising. We found sales people tended to make 30-50% more calls than necessary to close. I suspect that number is far larger today. In […]
Follow These 5 Principles for More Productive Meetings
What are the magic ingredients for a successful meeting? A meeting in which participants build relationships, exchange ideas, unearth insights, make decisions and get the information they need to move work forward? We all know there’s no “magic” that comes without preparation and hard work. But there are five basic principles that underlie successful meetings. Incorporate […]
4 Tips for Holding Better One-on-One Meetings with Your Employees
Are you having regular one-on-one meetings with your employees? Yes? Great! As a good manager, you probably want to make them better. No? Don’t worry, now’s the perfect time to start. A previous post discussed how employees can make the most of their one-on-one meetings. Let’s look at how managers can do the same. One-on-One Meetings with Your […]
