4 Ways to Make Meetings Actually Worthwhile

4 Ways to Make Meetings Actually Worthwhile 4 Ways to Make Meetings Actually Worthwhile Sure, there are some widely known recommendations for improving meetings e.g., set an agenda, start on time, invite the right people, hold standing meetings (where participants are more likely to hustle through their material). However, these are simply bandaids. While experts in time management and leadership skills spin their wheels offering advice to cure the common meeting, Id like to propose that we look at the root cause communication.I believe communication skills and practices are key to organizational effectiveness, and most definitely to the (in)effectiveness of meetings. What are meetings if not a venue for people with common interests and issues to come out of their metaphorical cubbies and gather to communicate? Meetings are the purest and most ubiquitous venue for communicating face to face about business matters.That said, what can be done to improve meeting communications? I rec ommend four strategies to help break the cycle of monotony, mediocrity and misery in meetings1. Articulate Your Desired OutcomeThis is different from drumherum an agenda, which you should do also. This is also more definitive than stating a purpose. Articulating your desired outcome is the context- and expectation-setting that most meetings lack. It is stating in the first 10-30 seconds (or less, ideally) exactly what you want to happen by the end of the meeting. For example, By the end of this meeting, I would like to get everyone up to speed, come to a consensus or decision, get approval, confirm next-step assignments, etc.Articulating your desired outcome is not a restatement of the topic of the meeting, its a directive or call to action. I call it a focal point. Its something you state at the very beginning of the meeting, reinforce in the wrap-up, and utilize throughout to dial back the inevitable digressions and diversions.2. Include Only Necessary DetailFrom where I sit, t he cancer that eats away at an otherwise healthy meeting is too much information, too much detail. There are lots of reasons for this, not the least of which is the presence of participants who feel the need to prove their competence or worth by sharing everything they know. However, too much detail isinefficient and, frankly, not at all helpful unless the info is packaged inside of a point.Simply put, a point would be a summary statement that captures the importance, significance, or value of the info. Detail on its own is not memorable or meaningful. It requires packaging inside of a point in buchen for other people to understandand retain it.Communicating effectively is all about prioritizing, and this is especially essential in a meeting when participants are contributing the scarce resources of their time and attention. Consider that prioritization implies a hierarchy. If youpicture a pyramid, then what were talking about is putting your point at the top of the pyramid with the detail underneath, appearing in descending order of importance. That way, you know to deliver the most important pieces first and maybe only.3. Be Prepared or Call It OffLets face it People come unprepared to meetings, which is not helpful. A room full of people who plan to wing it for an hour or more? Thats not very nice,nor is it very effective.Communication isnt like breathing, i.e., it just happens. It requires preparation in order to be useful. Preparation shows respect for your work, your organization, and your colleagues. If youre the meeting leader, you want to have an agenda prepared, and you want to know your focal point. What is your directive or call to action? If youre a meeting participant, prepare your point/detail hierarchy ahead if you know youre on the agenda. If youre not sure youll be speaking, you should still be prepared with succinct questions you might want to ask or with a brief statement on your area of responsibility.If you find that you or other partic ipants are not prepared, reschedule the meeting. If you find that people are meandering or processing out loud in the meeting because they didnt prepare ahead, then cut the meeting short. This is not punishment its an acknowledgment of reality and perhaps a little bit of behavior modification.4. Set Organizational Standardsleid just for internal meetings, but for external meetings as well. Ive had several clients come to me for communication skills training because they want their teams to be sharp in new business presentations. They jump right on board as soon as I raise the question, Well, what about regular meetings? Dont you want your people to give clients a good experience in regular meetings, too?A starter set of standards would begin with principles like always being prepared, containing detail, and articulating a desired outcome. Those alone would raise the level of meeting effectiveness simply by not letting people ramble.Communication is the currency of success. Its how w e get things done. Its how we achieve goals. Meetings are meant to provide a venue for collaboration and communication so that things get done and goals are achieved. Im an evangelist for better communication skills in any setting, but theres no question that holding ourselves and others accountable for better communication skills in meetings would go a long way toward curing the common meeting.Beth Noymer Levine is the Pprincipal of SmartMouth Communications and author of Jock Talk 5 Communication Principles for Leaders as Exemplified by Legends of the Sports World.

I Made $30,000 in 2 Years With My Side GigHeres How You Can, Too

I Made $30,000 in 2 Years With My Side GigHeres How You Can, TooI Made $30,000 in 2 Years With My Side Gig- Heres How You Can, TooThis story is Arianna ODells, a 28-year-old founder of a PR and marketing agency in New York City, as told to Marianne Hayes.Ive always been a fan of quirky, one-of-a-kind gifts. But when I started making and selling them online on Etsy two years ago as a creative outlet, I never imagined my hobby would blossom into a reliable stream of passive income. And yet, so far, Ive earned about $30,000 on top of my 9-to-5 income. Im still learning as I go, but here are a few valuable pearls of wisdom Ive picked up along the way.1. Follow Your Passion ProjectsI love a good pun and have learned that products with silly word play paired with cute illustrations make for crowd-pleasing gifts. (Think A coffee mug that reads Livin La Vida Mocha.) Years ago, I started buchening custom items for family and friends, and, by the end of 2016, had a few extra lying around- so I figured Id try selling them. I listed a mug on Etsy for $15, and welches surprised to see it sell quickly. I didnt net much, but something told me Id stumbled upon a worthwhile side hustle.The key Ive learned over the last two years is that Im working on something I think is fun. When youre motivated by more than the bottom line, youll be more likely to go the extra mile without burning out.2. Outsource Tasks You Cant Do (or Hate)Soon after opening my Etsy store, I started researching cost-effective ways to produce other punny items I couldnt easily make by hand. Thats how I discovered print-on-demand companies that ship on your behalf. Its an order-as-you-go option that takes a cut of each sale, but using them means my apartment doesnt have to double as an inventory warehouse.From there, I found graphic designers (through marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork) who could help bring my ideas to life for $10 to $30 per design. With partners in place, I hit the ground running, creating everything from funny doormats to wine labels.Whether its administrative work, accounting duties, or something else, Ive learned that its worth investing in help when it makes sense. This way, youre free to focus on other areas you like or are better at- and supercharge your business.3. Understand Your Costs (Really, Really Well)Perhaps my most valuable side gig advice welches born out of a big mistake I ended up losing hundreds of dollars my first quarter in business because I forgot to take taxes and Etsys seller fees into account- something I wouldnt have missed had I done a simple break-even analysis from the outset.I also wish Id had a better handle on my pricing. At first, I sold mugs for $16.99, netting me as little as 50 cents when all was said and done. Now that I better understand margins, Ive upped my prices to $33.50- an 100% markup- and people are still buying.4. Be Intentional With Your TimeSurprisingly, I havent sacrificed much time to grow my business. After some ini tial research about how to optimize my Etsy page so itd appear in peoples Google searches (a slow, but very effective game), I now just work when I have free time- usually about 30 minutes a day.The key is that Im careful to spend that time as productively as possible. I typically work on my side business first thing in the morning, before Im distracted or tired from other work, and complete at least one task, like fulfilling an order or implementing a new marketing tactic.Related I Got a 25% Pay Bump After Dumping This Bad Habit5. Look for Ways to Optimize or Improve Your ProcessIts been a slow, but mostly steady ride. (One exception Holidays are always a boon. My second year in business, I sold more than 300 products and brought in $9,000 in three months alone.) Generally, Im selling one or two items a day now, earning anywhere from $7 to $30 for each. Ive also started selling on Amazon and my own site diversifying where you can discover and purchase my products has earned me an e xtra $3,000 in sales to date.Next on my list is learning more about securing licensing deals to get my products into bigger retailers. Im also slowing down on creating new designs and repurposing old ones instead. If one was really popular on a mug, why not try it on a beach towel? This will help keep my costs low as I look toward the future My five-year goal is to firm up a long-term pipeline of passive income.This article was originally published on Grow. It has been republished here with permission.

7 ways I stay positive even though its winter and I hate leaving the office

7 ways I stay positive even though its winter and I hate leaving the office7 ways I stay positive even though its winter and I hate leaving the officeWinter the days are colder, the nights are longer, and the weather is unpredictable. It would be easy to spend December 21-March 20 cold and complaining. But instead, here are seven things I do tostay positive even though its winter.1. I embrace the seasonI engage in a bit of retail therapy and buy season sensitive stuff moisturizing socks, fuzzy mittens, a bright pink sweater, hot toddies. Since it gets dark by early evening, I feel no guilt putting my pjs on as soon as I get home from work. Before or right after Christmas, my family and I drive or walk through light displays. One January, we went tubing. There are plenty of resorts that make snow for you to tube, sled, and/or ski in. I take advantage of the events unique to winter.2. I accentuate the positiveAt work, I avoid coworkers who are Debby Downers. Its hard enough mustering p ositive energy during dreary winter days. Coworkers determine the quality and direction of projects, so I hang out with positive people. At home, I keep a gratitude journal and write in it every day, even if its just Im grateful for a roof over my head and that the furnace works.3. I exerciseAs Elle Woods says, Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just dont shoot their husbands they just dont. So to protect the safety of the people I live with, I exercise. If I have the opportunity to get outside and do it, all the better, so I can soak up some of that limited winter sun. But when its 15 degrees outside, my treadmill works just fine. I also lift weights to keep my triceps from waving when the cold winter wind blows. Exercise keeps my weight in check, reduces my stress and increases my energy.4. I move forward.I like to take the next step in the projects Im working on. I choose to set S.M.A.R.T goals instead of New Yearsresolutionsfor work, family, a nd myself. I update myLinkedin profileand my resume. I think about spring projects. What flowers should I plant? What room decor should I update? Where should I go on vacation this year?5. I declutter and organizeBeing stuck inside is a good time to simplify. I like to clean out my closets and take stuff that I havent worn in a year to our local Goodwill drop-off center. I have a file cabinet where I keep bills and receipts. If they are two years old, they go in the shredder. Tax documents that are eight years old go, too. This is also a good time to go through photos on my computer and phone and delete those I dont want to keep.6. I practiceself careWhether its trying a new recipe, hobby, or online class, winter is a good time to break out of my routine and find new ways to take care of myself. With the extended periods of cold and darkness keeping me inside, I warm up with bubble baths, do-it-myself mani-pedis, Netflix binges, etc. Curling up with a blanket, my dog, a cup of coffe e, a book, and Def Leppard streaming is a cure for almost any stressor.7. I try to be around peopleHavinglunchwith a friend, spending a Saturday afternoon with the parents, shopping with my husband, grabbing coffee with my daughter, volunteering with mynetworkinggroup all these things help me stay connected to my community. Being around people reminds me that winter is just a season. It will not last forever.Try a few of these suggestions and before you know it, winter will be over Youve got this.A version of this post previously appeared onFairygodboss, the largest career community that helps women get the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits, and work flexibility. Founded in 2015, Fairygodboss offers company ratings, job listings, discussion boards, and career advice.

What the House Of Tomorrow Can Teach Us Today

What the House Of Tomorrow Can Teach Us Today What the House Of Tomorrow Can Teach Us Today Those were the adjectives that were expected to define late-20th century housing. By the middle 1980s Americans and Western Europeans were supposed to be living in white plastic Swiss crosses with windows lining the arms. Like pies on display, the houses were to be constructed on pedestals.The team that designed the Monsanto House of the Future, a Disneyland attraction from 1957 to 1967, originally set out to create their vision for an affordable home for the families flocking into the housing market following World War II. Designed and engineered by Monsanto, Marvin Goody and Richard Hamilton of MIT, and Walt Disney Imagineering, the house was envisioned as something that could be quickly and inexpensively constructed on nearly any terrain and could withstand most any force of nature, said Gary Van Zante, architecture curator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum. Thats not the home they finished with, and only in small part because they were working with the most popular material of their day- namely plastic- and with building techniques that hadnt yet caught up with that material, he said.In 2010, Van Zante gave a presentation on the Monsanto House of the Future.When it was completed, Disneyland visitors could tour the house of the future set in the far-off year 1986, complete with an imaginary family and futuristic household appliances such as microwave ovens.We may snicker at the retro-future, but its something we cant escape. Projections of the future have to represent whats actually happening in the days in which theyre imagined. For Further Discussion

The Most Incredibly Overlooked Solution for Logistics Manager Resume

The Most Incredibly Overlooked Solution for Logistics Manager Resume The Logistics Manager is going to be required to take care of technical details relating to possibly international transportation, like customs regulations and any crucial documentation. You have to be numeric and be in a position to demonstrate a comprehension of basic accountancy to successfully fulfill the use of Logistic Manager. Find out how to advertise yurself in the very best way possible by making your Equipment Operator resume today using our Online Resume Builder If this Logistics resume example was not sufficient for you, youre absolutely free to review several other samples and templates from our website. Winning the race to receive your dream job is never quick. Theres no need to spell out why you left past positions. Everybody who would like to begin a new career just needs one particular opportunity. Maybe you decided a change in career was the very best move you can create in your life. Color this up by being dynamic in the manner in which you present your different abilities and obligations. A complete alternative for candidates with plenty of experience who desire to have a really good one-page resume template. Try to remember, the man or woman seeking to hire you wants to realize your capacity to excel within the role they must offer you. Possessing great problem solving skills, analytical abilities, and the capacity to communicate greatly are imperative. Hiring managers prefer the reverse chronological format since its more organized and simple to follow. So when the hiring company hasnt provided a salary for work, we look at salary data from related businesses and locations to think of a sensible estimate for what it is possible to anticipate. Applying for employment is a competition. Remember that employers might already have an awareness of job duties, particularly if theyre all in the exact field, and instead need to see something which impresses them and makes you stand out. Bear in mind every resume you submit must differ. All of these are positive. Find more information about self-employment. The Advantages of Logistics Manager Resume Logistics is a wide field. Therefore, logistics managers have lots of responsibilities on their plate. Therefore a great logistics manager will understand how to plan well head to get rid of the chance of any delays in the supply chain. A logistics manager just like you must be in a position to make sound decisions and do it FAST. Customer support The customer support is certainly something this service should work on. Our service is an excellent choice for all those who have to order an assignment urgently. Customers will remember you, and happily offer you another opportunity to delight them when you decide to correct issues with the very best youre able to offer, proving you value them and their business enterprise. The customer will know the purchase price of the order till they place it and help it become definite. The engineering manager must essentially be have the capacity to relate to the engineers they will manage. It has to be written especially for the organization youre applying to. Each business and profession has specific key terms. Entering an organization through the administration or sales departments is a good starting point, as it makes it possible for you to become very acquainted with the services and products offered by the business, and help in building those communication skills further. As an Equipment Operator, its a given that youre accountable for operating equipment to be able to take on several projects. It is a good idea to use individuals sites to down load the vital layouts to receive a better work. Examples of every one of the formats mentioned previously are available in the logistics resume samples already identified. Tracked and located equipment products, when using suitable on-line tools and programs.

Free Veterans Resume Writing Services Explained

Free Veterans Resume Writing Services Explained How to Get Started with Free Veterans Resume Writing Services? The working world is the same. You not only have to understand whats happening in your industry, but you will need to learn how to do the job. Although user experience design has arguably been in existence since the dawn of time, its a field which hasnt seen a substantial growth in popularity and demand until recent decades, and the exponential increase of demand for technology reflects in the substantial number of UX related jobs out there. Some people today go and work regular jobs for a couple years before choosing to join, but few enter service with any kind of authentic career already in place. Some contacts could be busy and not have time or even the capacity to aid you at the present time. Veterans are worried theyre going to visit a job with a lot of snowflakes who all got participation trophies and then be like a bull ina china shop when trying to just ask about somebodys weekend along with all the expletives and ill-received humor they will probably use. You must find out the way to keep current on everything thats related, so that when youre at a networking event or job interview, youve got yet another way its possible to present your passion. If you wish to obtain a concept of what types of contests are offered throughout the calendar year, have a look at Free Contests. Make certain you look professional and up-to-date once you appear for your interview. If theres an interview or coding test, attempt to reveal your thought process and your amazing problem-solving skills instead of focusing on just getting the correct answer. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Free Veterans Resume Writing Services Employers adore the discipline, technical abilities and can-do-attitude of veterans. Remember that numerous employers require applicants to complete forms instead of merely sending in a resume. Veterans are NOT trying to fi nd a handout and definitely wont brag about their accomplishments. Top Free Veterans Resume Writing Services Choices Altering your mind within the first couple of years is a costly choice. Contrary to what you might think, having real life experience under your belt doesnt increase your likelihood of passing the exam, you simply have to study for it the proper way. You are unable to avoid the shift. The transition from the military seems to come in a couple of crucial stages. The freelance job ladder It is correct that in every career, you need to start somewhere. Getting enough hours with a number of jobs can be exceedingly difficult also. Only youre going to be given the job if you fulfill the skills required. A number of the workers say little. Up in Arms About Free Veterans Resume Writing Services? It is possible to learn interviewing techniques and a few centers even offer you mock interview services. Needless to say, its much important to find the assistance of s ome expert writer to prepare the very best federal resume because the needs of federal resume are much different than resume required for private job. Be acquainted with each detail youre able to recall in advance. Psychological Services Attending college and leaving home for the very first time may be an amazing stressor on a person. Rather than that, you answer questions online at the organization website about your wellbeing and an accelerated underwriting procedure permits you to get immediate approval. If youre searching for a full-time job or only some freelancing, youre gonna need certain assets youll present to the people. There is much more in-depth info on the world wide web that will help you further. Take a look at the Resume to Referral web site for plenty of great resume examples.