Get off to a Good Start  If you tell your team that you’re about to have a meeting, it’s more likely that you’ll be met with a chorus of groans than delight. One of the main reasons that meetings are held in poor regard is because they are seen as boring and a waste of time. But the problem isn’t meetings in and of themselves—the issue is that many meetings don’t start right. The first few minutes of a meeting set the tone for the rest of the meeting. If you start off the meeting on the wrong foot, people are going to be taken off track or will zone out altogether. Here are some tips for starting meetings in a way that gets and

Why should I Consider Different Types of Meeting Personalities? In business meetings, you’re bound to come across a multitude of personality types. Before having a meeting, it’s important to consider who will be present and the strengths and weaknesses of each attendee’s personality. Treating all meeting participants in the exact same way can be counterproductive because each person is motivated by different things. It’s important not to make assumptions about team members and how they will respond to activities and presentations. The following are some of the 'unique' personalities you’re likely to encounter and how to embrace each of them.   The Leader The leader is the person who sets the tone and agenda of a meeting and

The Benefits of a Shared Calender Studies have shown that properly managed telecommuters are more productive than full-time, in-office workers, and a key tool that enables companies to effectively manage remote workers and coordinate team projects is a web-based team calendar. A team calendar software for Outlook^® keeps remote workers and employees who are frequently on the road connected to your company. It offers a centralized way to set up meetings and projects. A group calendar can be viewed 24/7 from any web-enabled device. Project managers, consultants, salespeople, and other employees can access their team calendar when they are out of the office visiting clients or attending to other matters. They can use the group calendar to keep track of meetings, conference calls, and

Back to the Future Flash Back In movies and TV shows like 'Back to the Future' and 'The Jetsons', the concept of video calls seemed like a distant reality. Now that technology has become an indispensable part of our everyday lives. Videoconferencing has been transformative in the business world, as it has allowed telecommuters and business teams across multiple locations to meet face to face despite physical distance. On the campuses of large companies, it can take 15 minutes to walk from one building to another for a meeting, so videoconferencing is becoming increasingly commonplace, even in co-located offices. Videoconferencing also helps businesses lower costs related to hiring by minimizing the need for travel. Anytime and Anywhere Part of the

Remote Work Is The Future Large companies like Apple, Amazon, IBM, and Intuit have embraced remote work and its benefits. But that doesn’t mean that remote work doesn’t come with its fair share of challenges. One of the most common complaints about remote work is that it hinders communication and collaboration.   Whether your team is fully remote or some of your employees happen to be working from home on a particular day, running an effective remote meeting is easier said than done. It’s simpler to communicate with people face-to-face because you can gauge their reactions and how they are feeling.   Typically, in-person meetings are perceived as being more productive than remote meetings, but it is possible to have an effective remote meeting with