Have you ever been in a meeting and had a brilliant idea that you didn't voice? Or have you ever voiced a brilliant idea in a meeting that people didn't adopt? If so, you need to learn to make meetings work for you.

Think about the last 3-5 meetings you’ve attended. Ask yourself these three very important questions:

1. What would have happened at those meetings if I hadn’t been there?

2. What would have been missing?, and

3. How do I want to be perceived?

In meetings do you want to be seen as insightful, as a team leader and as an analytical strategist? That is exactly how the organization needs you to be perceived in order for you to add real value.

Take my client Ben. He interfaced with three of the most vital areas in his company and sat in a variety of meetings with those groups. While he had expertise that others needed, he was in the habit of waiting to be asked for it. In other words, as the resident expert he considered himself a resource that others should call upon. Moreover, when he did present an idea, because of his expertise, he felt that others should simply trust the value of the idea and use it.

Ben's approach was not effective. Worse, he felt his company was ignoring his expertise.

Let’s dissect what went wrong. First, if you have an expert opinion, solution, or innovative idea, but don't volunteer it, how are others supposed to know you have this information? Simply attending meetings and being willing to be the expert when called upon isn’t enough. You have to play an active role—and I want to stress the word active. Do your ideas provide streamlining or help others to get to the needed solution, faster and easier with fewer missteps? Then speak up. Others will begin to perceive you as an insightful team player and an analytical strategist whose ideas add real value to the organization.

Secondly, just because Ben is the expert doesn't mean others will understand the value of his expertise or relate to his ideas. Even if you know your idea is a goldmine, you've still got to pitch your idea to be effective. Step forward and perform. Help your colleagues understand that your idea is an indispensable asset to the corporation. Every time you present an idea make three points: 1) why should your colleagues listen? 2) what’s in it for them? and 3) what do you want them to do about it? With this approach, you ensure people consider your idea fully, see how the idea will benefit them and help them see what they can do with your idea.

Seven Steps to A Successful Meeting

When it comes to preparing for meetings, a little goes a long way. Research shows there is a direct correlation between preparation time and meeting productivity.²

Be strategic in your meeting preparation with these Seven Steps to Meeting Success:

1. Set your Objective. It sounds basic but the objective is the most important and usually overlooked component to the meeting. Set the objective before the agenda: by the end of the meeting, you want __________________ to happen.

2. Plan Your Time. Decide how long the meeting needs to be by 1) determining what needs to be covered and 2) figuring out how best to cover those items.

3. Set the Agenda. A meeting without an agenda is a social gathering. Distribute the agenda well in advance to participants so they can think through the topics you'll cover and come prepared to share well-thought-out ideas.

4. Establish your role. Decide what role you need to play in the meeting (i.e., facilitator, leader) to meet your objective.

5. Gather resources. What information do you need to have a successful meeting? Who has these? Who will ensure resources are ready and brought to the meeting?

6. Build support. Identify advocates as well as potential resisters in advance. Who do you need to pre-sell your idea to? Do you need an advocate present for added leverage or support?

7. Plan to close with Action. Decisions made by the group must be documented and acted on. At the end of every meeting, determine what type of follow-up is needed, by when, and who will be responsible for each action item.

The bottom line: Individuals spend an average of four to eight hours a week in meetings. That makes meetings very costly to both you and your organization. But by preparing with all or just one of these tips, you can improve your ROI in meetings.

1 Excel survey for the tech company PolyVision Corporation

2 A network MCI Conferencing White Paper. Meetings in America: A study of trends, costs and attitudes toward business travel, teleconferencing, and their impact on productivity (Greenwich, CT: INFOCOMM, 1998).

To hire Charmaine for executive coaching, workshops or keynote speaking, contact us at: (323) 224-6820.

Speaking of Success Tip #4: Leverage Summer to Prepare for a Fall of Success

Summer usually means empty desks, vacation messages, a slower pace and a more relaxed atmosphere in the workplace. It also means an opportunity for you to line yourself up for a high impact Fall. Here are a few strategies for leveraging the 'lazy' days of summer:

• Increase your Network. July and August are a really good time to have one-on-one conversations with people who are normally inundated. Build your connections with key individuals in the organization during this time.

• Prepare for your Performance Review. Take advantage of any down time you have to build your case for your next performance review. Review what you've accomplished in the last few months. Document results and the value that you've brought to your organization.

• Book your Professional Development. Identify what training programs will be available in the Fall and slot that into your schedule now. You'll then be able to budget needed time for projects and milestone as they arise.

• Secure resources. In many organizations, budgets for the next fiscal year have been approved by July. If you have projects, ensure you leverage the resources you'll need while the funds are still available.

• Take time off. No Blackberry. No files. No thinking about work. Take a clean and full break from work. You'll come back refreshed, with a different perspective, and with a burn-out buffer for Fall.