Are your online meetings effective?

Do you use teleseminars to train, or audio conferencing for your meetings? How successful do you think they are? Kolabora's blog recently cited the following reports:

More than 50% percent of the people surveyed in a recent study conducted by Russell Research found that meetings are worth neither the preparation nor the travel they demand.

"A survey sponsored by Raindance Communications, Inc., a premier provider of integrated web and audio conferencing services, indicates that 90 percent of audio conferencers multitask by doing things other than paying full attention to meeting content."

Stephen Downes, who quoted the Kolabora reort, writes "I once wrote a paper called Synchronous Learning on the Web in which I observed that "the less you want to be at the class or the meeting, the more you want to use some form of conferencing, because it's easier and - especially if you're online - you can do other things at the same time.""
It adds a whole new dimension to meeting planning, and making your organisation's meetings relevant and efficiently run.

For tips on making your meetings efficient and effective, subscribe to the Communication Edge , or visit an ITC club to learn and practice.

Leadership is a social function

Leadership is a social function. It is the ability to make people listen to you, follow you, and respect you in the process. Respect cannot be demanded -- it must be earned. Therefore, the more wisely and effectively you practise interpersonal skills, the more respect you will win.
From the ITC Leadership Development Manual

Meeting objectives and making progress in meetings

Thanks for the post on this topic, Lorraine. Need more information on being that strong chairperson? Visit the archived posts on this blog, or book a workshop at ITC

Leadership is ....

  "Whether a man is burdened by power or enjoys power; whether he is trapped by responsibility or made free by it; whether he is moved by other people and outer forces or moves them - this is the essence of leadership."
Theodore H. White ("The Making of the President")

Meeting success means funny business

For meeting success, develop a sense of humour. You can use humour more often than you think. It enables you to make a stronger statement than you would dare make any other way. You might also try fielding an irritating or sexist remark with a joke.