10 Big Blunder
Lacking Meeting Etiquette

Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.

—H. L. Hunt

Leading, participating in, or attending a meeting should always be viewed as an opportunity to exhibit your professionalism. Whether you are a participant or the facilitator really doesn’t matter. When people leave the meeting, they will leave it with an impression of you. Their impression, whether positive or negative, will affect whether you work together and, if you do work together, how well you work with one another. It is very important that the message attendees get is the message you want to send. Whether you lead a meeting or are a participant, you must know ahead of time the impressions that you want others at the meeting to take away with them. You need to think about this carefully before the meeting ever starts.

Ask Yourself These Crucial Questions

Am I fully prepared for the meeting?

Does each person have an agenda for the meeting, or am I planning to hand out the agenda once we are there?

Do I know where to stand or sit in order to have the greatest impact on the others in the room?

Leading a Meeting

You must be clear, concise, and articulate.

The goal of the meeting should be identified at the beginning.

Each participant should have an agenda; you may need to send it out ahead of time.

The meeting should begin and end on time.

Do not fidget with your materials, your fingernails, your hair, and so forth.

Do not put unnecessary materials on the table (for example, purse, briefcase, coat, and so on). In most instances, a pad, a pen, an agenda, and any backup materials are sufficient.

Show an appreciation for others’ points of view.

Have more than the exact number of handouts and preview materials you think you will need. The five-plus rule is a good one to remember: think about the maximum number of participants you expect to attend and add five more.

Make eye contact with each of the participants. Scanning the room isn’t sufficient.

Make sure your body language is inviting. People will not feel comfortable asking you questions if they feel intimidated.

Be careful that you don’t give anyone the message that what he or she has said is unimportant. People need to feel that you have heard them, that you appreciate what they have said, and that their contribution is valued. Never argue with a coworker or a customer. If there are areas of disagreement, suggest a meeting after the larger meeting is over to discuss the issue in more depth.

Seating Arrangements

Make sure that you can see everyone at the meeting without having to turn your head more than 180 degrees. If you find that you have to do so, ask some of the participants to move to other seats. Your team can be interspersed, but the presenters must be able to address everyone at the same time.

Let the customer know if you will be or might be bringing others to the meeting.

When the point person sets up an appointment and another team member attends the meeting, it is important that the point person deliver the majority of the presentation. Any changes in this format (that is, if someone other than the point person will be presenting) require some communication prior to the meeting.

Introduce your coworkers to your clients.

If you are in a conference room, remember that the seats on either side of the person leading the meeting are considered the most significant.

Do not sit in cliques, do not break away into small groups, and do not spread out during a meeting unless you need to do so in order to function.

Participating in a Meeting

Always arrive on time.

Feel free to participate, but do not participate merely to draw attention to yourself.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions that you feel are relevant to the point being made.

Before you begin to speak, wait at least three seconds after the previous speaker has finished.

Do not talk to your neighbor while another person is speaking.

Confine all discussion to the situation at hand. Do not discuss problems on the side.

Keep a pleasant or interested look on your face.

Pay attention.

Speak up.

Remember to be clear and concise.

Tips

Look interested and stay alert.

Turn off all computers and cell phones.

State the ground rules and your expectations for the meeting.

Give credit where credit is due. Use “we” instead of “I” when appropriate.

Thinking and planning ahead of time is most important. Gather all the files and materials you feel are applicable and lay them out ahead of time. That way, you reduce the chance of forgetting something on the day of the meeting.

If you are dealing with numbers or sales, have a calculator on hand.

Take time to process notes after the meeting.

Always come to meetings well-prepared. If you don’t, you can be sure that others will notice!