Page 27 - Twenty Four Lessons for Mastering Your New Role

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cussion threatens to head off course as a silent reminder to everyone
to stay on track.
Look at everyone in the room when you speak. Don’t just estab-
lish eye contact with one or two people or you’ll risk excluding oth-
ers. Notice when someone’s trying to get a word in. Recognize quiet
or shy individuals, and give them ample opportunity to contribute.
Welcome questions, but don’t hesitate to say “We can answer that
later” if necessary.
To make meetings more effective:
Meet and greet at the door: Shake hands with people as they arrive.
That’s better than arriving early, planting yourself in a chair, looking
down and fiddling with papers as others file in.
Open with an overview: Use the first minute of the meeting to state
the purpose of the meeting. Also reveal what attendees will gain by the
end. Highlight key agenda items and any planned group activities.
Commit assignments to writing: End the meeting by deciding who
will do what—by what date. Misunderstandings will result if you skip
this step or assume people know what to do next. Write assignments
and send a follow-up memo summarizing everyone’s job.

“At Intel, agendas … include information about the
meeting's key topics, who will lead various parts of the
discussion, how long each topic of discussion will take,
and what outcomes are expected.”
—Michelle Neely Martinez

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