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Whom Do You Invite to a Meeting?
By Steve Kaye
The success of your next meeting depends upon whom you invite. Here's
what to consider.
1) Invite only people who can contribute to the meeting. Spectators bog down
the process.
2) Avoid filling the meeting with allies as a show of force. This
intimidates your "opponent," which can result in counter attacks,
retaliation, or false cooperation.
3) Avoid inviting people because they would feel offended if left out. A
meeting is a business activity, not a party. You can always ask the person
to choose between watching others work in a meeting or being left to work on
tasks that contribute to raises and promotions.
4) Be sure to invite the stakeholder (the person who owns the issue). This
person is a valuable resource in finding solutions.
5) Make sure the opponents to issues attend your meetings. They can help you
find equitable solutions that they will support. Without them, any results
that you develop are likely to prove useless.
6) Invite key participants with minor roles to only the part of the meeting
where they can contribute. Schedule these parts of the agenda at the
beginning of the meeting or when you resume after a break.
7) Invite spectators for good reasons. For example, you may invite a new
employee to learn about an issue; you may include members of other
organizations to win empathy for your needs, you may invite an outsider to
catalyze creative thinking.
8) In general, meetings that are held to make plans, seek solutions, or
reach agreements work best when eight to twelve people attend.
9) Any number of people can attend parties, social meetings, lectures, or
demonstrations.
Note: Learn more about Effective Meetings at: http://www.squidoo.com/OneGreatMeeting/
About the author:
Steve Kaye helps leaders hold effective meetings. He is an IAF Certified
Professional Facilitator, author, and speaker. His meeting facilitation and
leadership workshops create success for everyone. Call 714-528-1300 for
details. Visit
http://www.stevekaye.com for a free report.
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