Meeting No-No's

In his session We’ve Got to START Meeting Like This, Douglas Caudle, president of Piedmont Fiberglass, emphasized the importance of bi-monthly and monthly meetings. “When you have those meetings, be honest with your employees,” he says. It is important to share the vision with them so they feel engaged and can help you meet company goals. “Folks have anxiety, tell them the straight truth, after all, knowledge is power,” he said.

Caudle also emphasized certain etiquettes that should be followed at every meeting. Whether it’s a one-on-one, a department meeting or an all-staff meeting, there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do. While the list of “good things” can become very long, there are basic no-no’s everyone should follow:

1. No phones.  Turn off all cell phones and let staff phones go to voicemail, which is why it was invented.
2. No laptops. If you allow laptops, nine times out of ten the owner won’t be taking notes, they will be surfing the internet. Keep everyone engaged and have as little electronics as possible.
3. No eating. Each person may think they have the best manners in the world. But, to the person next to you, you could sound like a cow chewing on its cud. “When you eat, you distract others from the discussion, at that point the meeting is tallied at a loss,” said Caudle.
4. Stop side conversations. According to Caudle, the second most distracting thing besides eating is a side conversation. He suggested the most effective way of stopping the side conversation: stop your own conversation.