Let’s Begin

"First, let’s take a look at the agenda."

All too often, this is the way meeting leaders begin their meetings, says Michael Wilkinson, CMF, managing director of Leadership Strategies, Inc. As a result, participants aren’t sure of the purpose of the meeting, the products to be produced, why the meeting is beneficial, or why the meeting should be important to them. "In essence, meetings often begin with an ineffective start that can negatively affect the rest of the meeting," Wilkinson says and explains that at the beginning of a meeting, people typically want to know two things: Why am I here? and Why should I care? To ensure that the two questions are answered, Wilkinson uses the acronym, IEEI, to remind planners of what they should include during a meeting’s opening:

Inform. Let attendees know why they are there – what is the meeting’s purpose? And what new information will they walk away with?

Excite. Get participants excited by telling them why it will benefit them to attend. "The Excite segment is the part of IEEI that is most often overlooked by meeting leaders," says Wilkinson. "The goal of the Excite segment is to answer the question, ‘Why should I care?’ Without the Excite, you may have people in the room, but are they really at the table? How do you excite? Answer this question for them, ‘What’s in it for me?’"

Wilkinson’s Tip: Include the words "you" or "your" at least four times in the Excite portion.

Empower. Define the attendees’ roles. "The goal in empowering participants is to ensure that they are clear on the power they have while in the meeting," says Wilkinson. "When people feel empowered, they tend to be less hesitant to participate in discussions and more willing to offer their thoughts and ideas."

Involve. "Get them involved immediately through an engagement question that furthers the meeting purpose," suggests Wilkinson. "For some teams, it is best to start with a question that is focused on the task at hand. For other teams, it may be more appropriate to start with a question that takes more of a people focus. For example, say, ‘Given our purpose and products, what are the outcomes you personally would like to see from today’s meeting?’"

With a great beginning, your next meeting can be a productive one. For more information on effective meetings, visit Wilkinson’s Website at www.leadstrat.com.