Meeting Management – The Art of Effective Meetings

According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, approximately $37 billion is wasted in the United States each year due to unnecessary meetings. Meetings come in all shapes and sizes, from the convention to a quick huddle in an office hallway. This presentation will focus on mid-to-small-size working meetings with groups who have a job to do requiring the energy, commitment and talents of those who participate.
Co-workers want results from their time together: solving problems, brainstorming or simply sharing information. This seminar helps reveal the essentials of making meetings more productive.
Learning Objectives

•  Understand the value of meetings as a management tool
•  Recognize key elements that make meetings more productive
•  Know critical planning steps that makes meeting time more effective
•  Identify process tools that can help create an open and safe forum for discussion
•  Develop and practice techniques for handling counterproductive behaviors

“Effective meetings don’t happen by accident, they happen by design”
Basics for Effective Meetings – Participants will explore the key characteristics of successful meetings and discuss types of meetings as well as alternatives to holding a meeting.
Best and Worst of Meetings – Participants will work in small groups to identify the characteristics of effective meetings and ineffective meetings.
Holding Productive Meetings – Participants will explore the keys to productive meetings through large group discussion and a case study.
Preparing for Meetings – Participants will receive planning guidelines including tips on determining the time and attendees.
Agendas – Participants will understand the importance of agendas and take part in a small group activity to reinforce the concepts.
Setting the Place – Participants will look at considerations when choosing the location and physical setup for a meeting.
Leading a Meeting – Participants will learn skills for leading a successful meeting.
Process and Content – We’ll discuss the differences between process and content. Participants will learn about ground rules, different techniques for engaging meetings and facilitation skills.
How to Control a Meeting – Participants will explore types of difficult dynamics and solutions in a group exercise.
A Plan for Success – Participants will work in small groups to create an action plan for areas of weakness identified in their pre-assignment.
Wrap-up – Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and create a development plan.
About the Presenter:  Nancy Schnoebelen Imbs
Nancy is an empowering leadership and professional development consultant.  Highly dedicated and results oriented, she has the skill and passion for helping individuals become more confident and successful in business and beyond.
Nancy combines her communications expertise with a pragmatic approach in a variety of important soft skill areas including verbal, written and nonverbal communication, emotional intelligence, etiquette and protocol, time management, business acumen, working with team dynamics and coaching.  She helps clients focus on key adjustments that result in meaningful impact and effectiveness.
Drawing on her marketing and communications background, over 20 years experience in leadership roles and a lifetime of personal growth, Nancy has keen appreciation of mindset and the power it has to change patterns of behavior.  She focuses on building one’s strengths and minimizing weaknesses through enrichment, feedback, self-discovery and detailed action plans.
Before launching Polished, Nancy served in leadership positions where she helped businesses like Edward Jones, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and Mercy health boost their products and services, communications, marketing, brands and stature.
Nancy is a dynamic motivational speaker.  She delivers keynotes on several topics such as Present with Power Poise and Punch; If I Can Do It; Kindness is Underrated; Beyond the Fork and Knife and Yes. Maybe. I Mean No.
Nancy believes passionately in developing people, especially their interpersonal skills.  ‘You can achieve your goals-you just need a clear vision and a strong belief in yourself,” she says.