Set Goals to Have More Effective Meetings

We’ve all witnessed them. Those painfully awkward and annoying meetings, in which we left more troubled or frustrated than before they even started. We might have been happy that someone actually had taken the time to schedule it and get everyone together, however, at the end it failed and left a void without any of the progress we desired.

What happened?

Most failed meetings are attributed to a lack of focus and goals. Like anything else, setting goals conveys a clear purpose and vision for what we are trying to achieve. If your team is unaware of why they’re even meeting and for what specifically, tangent conversations and confusion will abound.

Each team member has his/her own different perspectives or/ lens through which they see or use to relate – this is what makes each of us unique and is a key benefit for a team as a whole – however, with those differences come the possibility of misunderstandings and a loss of focus. Someone may relate to the topic or problem with a specific story or example in their mind. Perhaps they might want to collect data and truly understand the history of the problem, but another member may already be thinking of what tool to use to solve it.

What can you do as an effective facilitator or participant?

Create or request that a goal is created and written on a board. As the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind”, so too will your audience lose sight of the goal as any discussion ensues. The best facilitators use this tool and refer to it on the board to ensure conversations are kept on track and provide a consistent focus for the group. Example below:

The goal of this meeting is to specifically discuss the current problem with the decreasing sales of product X. We will use these 30 minutes to brainstorm specifically on what factors we should investigate for data collection. All ideas are acceptable, however, no solutions are to be suggested.  Action items will be assigned as needed for follow-up in a meeting next week as we continue to investigate the issues with the sales of product X.

As you can see, this is quite a specific and lengthy goal, however, it clearly states and prepares the audience for how they should think and interact. They are aware that the key focus is the decline in sales of product X. Brainstorming will occur solely on collecting data and not solutions. The audience understands and expects action items to be assigned and that a follow-up meeting with occur next week.

It’s clean, clear, and with little ambiguity, preventing the discussion from straying away on tangents.

If this something you are currently not doing, then give it a shot. You’ll be surprised on how effective this technique can be. Remember it is your responsibility as either the facilitator or even as the participant to ensure the group has a clear understanding of the goal of that meeting. If they do not, you must decide to interject and lead them in the right direction. They will thank you and results will follow.

The Enticing iPhone 5, Yet My Hesitations to Leave Google

Steve Jobs and the iPhone 5

When it first arrived, the iPhone blew me away. I was instantly filled with envy as I was using a Sprint phone running Windows at the time that paled in comparison. Jobs landed a masterpiece in the world’s hands – a sleek and sexy product paired with a simple, yet brilliant OS  that would change everything – a true disruptive technology.

The iPhone hit the market and brought the everyday activities such as email, calendars, address organizers, apps, and the internet all to one device. With all the functionality of a computer, yet with the ease of a simple calculator, the iPhone broke down the complex barriers so effectively that every consumer demographic embraced it without hesitation, resulting in an instant phenomenon and success. The other companies’ phone counterparts didn’t have a chance. Prior to the iPhone, the first generation and even second generation smartphones were just way too difficult and cumbersome for the general public. Early adopters and geeks of those 1st gen devices loved them, and I was one of them, however, the learning curve was too steep. The majority of consumers didn’t initially see the value or usefulness that required so much time and effort – Jobs’ device changed it all.

Unwilling to initially leave behind my cheap Sprint plan and phone, I waited in hope that a formidable competitor would arrive to provide an iPhone alternative. And eventually Google did so. Google launched their first smartphone, the G1, on T-Mobile, however, it was plagued with mediocre reviews that left most users confused and wanting more. I continued to wait it out as I was fueled by more and more rumors of Sprint partnering with Google and HTC for something better, supposedly titled the Hero. And when they did eventually launch the Hero, I scooped it up, gave it a shot, and was for the most part impressed. It was finally a good response to Jobs and his marvel. Far from perfection, and lacking a speedy OS and most apps, the HTC Hero was light years ahead of the Windows phone – I became hooked with hopes for more. Having been a Google fan for years with the use of Gmail, Google Calendar, and Documents, it became enough to stave off the desires of running to Apple…at least for a moment or so. It could do most of the iPhone-like activities, and the syncing with the other Google products as mentioned before was astounding: Gmail worked well with my contacts, which worked well with the calendar, which synced with most of the other phone functions – all in all a very usable device, however, it still needed some work.

Google persevered and about a year ago they released one of their best attempts and top iPhone competitors, the HTC Evo, which I am very pleased to own.  It was a damn a good response that finally provided some healthy market rivalry. Supplied with a speedy CPU, a greatly upgraded OS, and a much better app market, the EVO was and still remains a great phone. One of the key features, which I wonder if Apple will consider adding is depicted below, called widgets. Something unique only to Android, they allow you to have small and interactive snapshots of your apps on your desktop/home-screen without having to open the actual app. You can get quick news excerpts, status updates, your calendar’s agenda, to-do lists, etc. This is actually one of the central items that maintains my friendship with Google and reluctance to completely jump ship to the iPhone 5. However, the rumor mill has suggested Apple has taken note, and they may be adding similar features.

Key Android Feature: Widgets

Will I eventually leave my Google phone? I’m not sure. I know the iPhone 5 will be an incredible product – no doubt. However, Google has upped their game and will continue to be a key competitor with Apple for years to come. The Google products aforementioned work and integrate so well with their phones now that Apple will have difficulty luring me their way with an OS that can’t do quite the same mostly because of proprietary issues. But with the rumored iPhone 5 launch this September, we’ll see how faithful I remain…

Trouble Completing Your Great Ideas? – Read This!

A very motivating and useful Inc. article focused on moving to action with your ideas. Especially for those times when you had that brilliant idea, but didn’t know how to proceed and then it was lost only to resurface again with that same questioning situation of the “Should I?” and “How to?”.

I love the the questions mentioned under the Examine and Expand section:

“What if this idea was in place right now, what would be different because of it?” 
“What if I could see this idea as something bigger than it is right now, how would it look?”

Also really enjoyed the wise approach to scrutinizing the idea on whether or not it tied into your goals/vision:

Is there synergy? Does it really fit in with your long term goals? Does it change anything in a way that you must explore or does it just confuse the picture? Is it too far off the mark or does it fit in seamlessly with the big picture?

Enjoy!

http://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/how-to-execute-great-ideas.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+inc%2Fheadlines+%28Inc.com+Headlines%29

The “Why” – Phenomenal and Inspiring Speech on Leadership, Communication, and Marketing From TED Conference

Regardless of what role you play in your company, business, or even personal life, the overall message from this presentation is outstanding. I found myself and witnessed others stating “That’s exactly right! This is why person X is so poor at communication or “That’s why business A has had such trouble with their products. No one truly believes in them and in return no one believes in their message or business, hence their failure”.

The concepts are not new. We’ve all read, heard, or even studied these before, however, what makes this speech so unique and rewarding is the presenter’s (Simon Sinek’s) different approach of explaining the “why” and how the significance of its use applies not only in business, but also in the other aspects of life. The examples of MLK, Apple, and the Wright Brothers are excellent and provide an interesting background for his main message – in order for us to be successful leaders, we must deliver an absolute message founded on sound reasoning that our target audience can relate to and believe in. Whether it’s the motivation to purchase products, lead teams, or challenge the status quo, the basis of such must be rooted in strong beliefs and principles that are relatable and ignite that inner drive to result in action.

Why Discipline and Organization Will Always be Required to do More

Wow! Such a great article posted on Harvard’s blog this week regarding the always challenging and yet simple concept of how to get things done. It’s pretty much what we already know,but with a great focus on planning and organization prior to the task. Plus, a nice concept that I think so many of us forget – take a damn break! – pushing through is not always helpful. Here’s some key take-aways:

• Plan – you must plan based on priority the night before so you know exactly what you’re doing tomorrow and how that specific time slot works with your schedule
• Organization – you must have a complete list of tasks that have been assessed based on their importance, urgency, and value
• Focus – the item in front of you should be your only task. Put cell phones away. It’s hard, but unless you’re expecting an important call, you’ll probably still survive without it. If on a computer, only have that window or program open and turn off all of the alerts and pop ups (Outlook is the worst for me because that little bubble notification indicating that I have new mail will completely derail me)
• Take a Break – once you’ve had a productive session, go do something else. Learn to notice when you’re just pushing yourself. Most of the time your quality of work will start to diminish afterwards. Again, do something completely different to reset your brain. Change the scene.

Leadership, Impatience, and the Status Quo

The other day I had an interesting learning experience. It all started from a conversation I had mentioning my struggle with some recent frustrations due to a lack of progress at work. What was unique and had a key impact was the quick and unrestrained response from the listener, my director, “Impatience is why you’ll continue to be a successful leader”.

Quick and simple. I didn’t expect that. I was thinking advice would have originally followed. Perhaps a good story, book, or article to refer to. Then I recognized his point and the principle behind it. That patience is not always the valuable virtue as it is so commonly perceived. That sometimes especially in our competitive environments, patience can be the death of a business or career. It leads to the blind acceptance of the status quo and delay of progress. Challenges, however, should be seen as great things and we should welcome them. If used effectively as growth opportunities, the resulting motivation from their pressure should only spur us on to remain competitive and impatient to the wasteful processes of our business.

“Remember on the field it doesn’t just rain on one team. It’s a new challenge for both. The best team doesn’t wait, but is creative enough to overcome through effort and perseverance” – anonymous

Vilfredo Pareto and His Useful 80/20 Principle: Vital Few, Trivial Many – Focus to Solve Problems

The Significant Few

I’m a data nerd. I love working with it and using it especially with business. It’s something that never fails to amaze or contest the way I think or make decisions. I always enjoy those occasions when you see your own or someone else’s beliefs challenged by a new set of data – those kind of head scratching, jaw dropping, “I never would have thought that was why” moments.

When it comes to data analysis, one of my favorite tools to use is the Pareto Principle. Created by Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, the pareto principle is based on the belief that when analyzing a set of data you will usually have a significant few (data points) that contribute to the majority of the effects, i.e. 80% of the results are caused by 20% of that data population, hence, if you’ve ever heard of the 80/20 rule. This principle stems from his interesting studies involving the distribution of wealth and the resulting analysis that 80% of the land in his area was owned by 20% of the population. Of course, this 80/20 ratio does not fit all data exactly. Sometimes you’ll see 20% cause 95% of the effects. It is widely accepted among statisticians and analysts that if you have gathered the correct amount of data and have reliable sources, you will find a small vital group that contributes the majority while the trivial many do not which is the key element to note.

As you can imagine this technique is very useful for problem solving applications and decisions. Knowing what key factors will contribute the most can easily become your targets to fix or use. This is extremely helpful for time management and focus, i.e. spend your time on the those 20% that will yield the majority of results. When it comes to problem solving, it is extremely satisfying to target those key areas and then reap the rewards because again you focused on those significant few and didn’t waste your time elsewhere.

Here are some interesting and common pareto statistics from all aspects of life (not all are entirely accurate, but have been based on data):

• One I analyzed – Texas released a top 100 congested roadways and here’s what I got – 80% of the highest trafficked roads exist in 33% of the counties they listed (source data link)
• 17 countries (9%) harbor more than 70% of the earth’s species (source link)
• In health care in the United States, it has been found that 20% of patients use 80% of health care resources (no specific data, but this has been suggested as pretty accurate)
• Several criminology studies have found that 80% of crimes are committed by 20% of criminals
• 80 percent of a company’s revenue comes from 20 percent of its products (I know product managers that say this follows pretty closely)
• 80% of the traffic in town travels over 20% of the roads (again, suggested as accurate by some various sites)
• 20% of your customers contribute to 80% of your sales (Timothy Ferris’ new book, 4-Hour Work Week suggests specifically targeting those 20%)

Imagine if you were to examine your expenses. Would you rather reduce your mortgage rate or your telephone bill by 1%? You can see your efforts would yield greater results on the former mortgage to save money. Take a look and consider how you might use this to help with work, money, or something else. Overall, as you can see, the biggest advantage by using this principle is the prioritization and targeting of what few things will yield the largest gains.

Entrepreneurs: Locate the Market Needs, Then Create the Solution/Idea

Here’s a quick article that I enjoyed as I have similar thoughts of branching out on some entrepreneurial ideas. One of my favorite key points is regarding the focus on researching the market and it’s viability for a need or product and avoiding the trap of being narrow minded by developing a business solely on your idea or vision. If the market or need is not there, you will struggle to profit. The article mostly discusses this in regards to the popular app market for phones and tablets right now, but you get the point. Enjoy!

Reuters website article

Springpad – Smart & Innovative To-do List / Organizer [video is great]

Not sure about you, but it has always been a pain to have keep track of all of my to-do lists. Some are work related. Some are for the house. Some are even for fun things like travel ideas, movies, books, restaurants, etc. For years I’ve tried so many methods: lists at the office, notes on my computer, email list back and forth, and a note pad app on my phone. Usually I just lose the discipline to keep them updated because they require so much time to maintain and keep things organized.

What’s been the answer for me lately has been the Springpad site and app (Android). You can conveniently access your list from anywhere and keep your categories separate such as work and home tasks or see them all at once as needed.

The best feature by far is ability to create tasks/notes for items you find by searching the internet – books, movies, restaurants, gifts, etc. Trust me  – just check out the video and give it a shot – the apps (Android and iPhone) and website are free!

Your Career: Take Time to Reflect Upon Your Day

I really enjoyed this quick article from HBR about analyzing your day. The concepts apply to your job as well as some aspects outside of it. I know for me taking the time to realize why my day was good or bad and then reflecting upon what worked or needs improvement has helped my career through the years. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything and become a robot that never reflects upon successes or failures. That to me is the scariest – to go about life and not recognize those things – you’ll never know what has been helpful or detrimental.

Common Questions I Like to Use:

• Did any of my activities today help go towards achieving my career goals? – no, then why not? If yes, good! what’s next and how do I prepare?
• Do I have a replacement for my current role so I can move up in my career? – if not, then who? what other trainings do they need?
• If I’m stuck on a problem/project, then why? – do I need to ask for help? can someone outside my department help? mentor perhaps?
• Why are some meetings more successful than others? – better facilitator? the use an agenda? better powerpoints?
• Do I need to update anyone on the decision we just made? – who else maybe affected that needs to know? what’s the best method for communication?
• Is there a new skill/tool I learned? – how will I use this? how will I remember to use it? who else should I train on this?
• During the meeting, why did I encounter so many objections to my idea? – was it just a bad idea or was I too pushy? who would be best to ask for feedback?

Hopefully you have a good manager, leader, or mentor who can recognize these same things as well, but of course the most rewards will come from when you take the time and effort to do so on your own. I hope you enjoy this as well. Cheers!

http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2011/01/the-best-way-to-use-the-last-f.html