Frequently populace fall asleep or...

Frequently populace fall asleep or day-dream during meetings. The following eight ideas to detain them awake and alert are based forward "The Complete Handbook of Business Meetings," the definitive recently made known guide for meetings and masterships of order, published by the American Management Association.

1 Give each participant a lead part on an agenda item. No single should sit back and eye for a full meeting. You ne to transpose passive observers into active and awake contributors.

2 Aid serving sleep-inducing meals before a meeting (creamy pastas, chocolate cheese cake). Replace them with light and healthy snacks. Alcoholic drinks should definitely be revealed

3. Try "stand-up meetings" from time to time, with no tables, no chairs, and no sitting in succession the floor. Falling asleep will be risky. You will also be amazed at by what mode much time will be saved.

4 Schedule short breaks not rarely There should be no more than 15 to 2 hours of continuous sitting. Remember: "The human mind will absorb single as much as the human seat will endure!"

Call in succession silent members to comment instead of waiting for them to raise their hands. "John you have unique expertise in this area. Can you comment?' Daydreaming will be made awkward.

6 Diversify your discussion activities to impel participants away from static positions. Example: Break a large assign places to into sub-groups with each handling a explanation task and then reporting back.

7 thwart rambling and monotonous statements at asking members to communicate concisely. "Our time is tight. Is it reasonable to ask you to limit your illustrations to about two minutes each?"

8 Ask speakers to make their presentations interactive and avoid protracted discourses Ensure that they include interesting examples and case studies to detain everyone awake and interested.

"The consummate Handbook of Business Meetings" (ISBN# 0814405606) was lately published by the American Management Association. It can be ordered in Canada from calling McGraw-Hill at 800-565-5758 (Cdn$4795) The book's author, Mr Eli Mina, is a professional meeting chairman, Registered Parliamentarian, and a leading dexterous on meetings and rules of order. Eli has l several professional disentanglement programs for the Institute since 1988 He can be reached by means of e-mail at eli@elimina.com or on phone 604730-0377. His Web site is www.elimina.com.

Copyright Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia Oct 2000

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