Page 198 - The Voice of Authority

what product lines to show? Outline your marketing be-
fore the show?
You get the idea. Topics do not an agenda make. Topics
simply tempt attendees to tiptoe through the issues lightly
and leave with nothing decided. Instead, focus the topics
into key questions that should be answered by the end of
the discussion. As facilitator, close the meeting with as-
signments and follow-up action. Be known as the person
who gets things done rather than the person who just talks
about getting things done.
Meet, greet, lead, . . . discuss, decide, disband.

Know When to See the Whites of Their Eyes

As you encourage information exchange at all levels, you’ll
need to make a critical decision often. What’s the best ap-
proach? E-mail? Phone? Or a face-to-face conversation? A
formal letter or report? The method you choose can make
a tremendous difference in results (Figure 10.1a).
After gathering input on these issues for years, I’ve com-
piled a chart of the consensus about which methods work
best in which situations for what purposes (Figure 10.1b).
Select at your peril. Above all, decide by design, not de-
fault. Don’t make it a haphazard “Oh, by the way, while
I’ve got you” happening in the hallway on Friday afternoon
at 4:00.

Learn to Connect All Along the Food Chain

In a culture that encourages conversations at all levels,
you may find yourself talking with everyone from the
CEO to the chauffeur. Be ready to connect at their point
of interest. When talking to people up and down the

186 The Voice of Authority