meetings Archives - Ava S. Butler

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

April 15, 2019

I highly recommend The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker. I know a lot about planning and facilitating meetings, but learned so much more by reading this book. Whether you run business meetings, are involved in non-profit events, or hold parties at your home, this book will give you insights to up your game.

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Gathering-How-Meet-Matters/dp/1594634920/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gathering+book+of+meetings&qid=1555237488&s=books&sr=1-1

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If you would like to receive e-mail notification when I post additional techniques and meeting management related materials, please sign up through this link. http://eepurl.com/KILan You may unsubscribe at any time. Continue reading →

agendas, facilitation, managing change, meeting management, meetings, off-sites

Implementing Change, Meeting facilitation, Strategic planning, Techniques to Boost Creativity and Teamwork, Techniques to Improve Meeting Productivity

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Planning is critical to successful meetings: use this checklist to help you prepare

August 15, 2018

Ava S. Butler

What you do before your meetings is every bit as important as what you do in them. In fact, without effective pre-meeting planning and organization, the quality of your meetings will certainly suffer, and some will very likely fail.

Most facilitators plan to some degree. Many consider their meetings planned if they create an agenda, send it out, book a room, and order the coffee. But proficient pre-meeting planning needs to go beyond these basics. The level of planning a facilitator attains before the meeting separates the true professional from the rank amateur. And meeting results speak for themselves.

Use Continue reading →

agendas, facilitation, meeting management, meetings

Meeting facilitation

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Back by Popular Demand: How to Use a Parking Lot in Your Meetings

March 7, 2018

Ava S. Butler

“Our meetings are continually spinning off onto tangents unrelated to our original agenda. We never accomplish what we originally set out to do and everyone is frustrated, including me. What can I do?”

What is PARKING LOT?

PARKING LOT is a productivity technique for effectively dealing with distracting but important non-agenda items that arise during the course of your meeting.

Non-agenda items always seem to find their way into meetings. It is important to honor and recognize the existence of these important non-agenda items, but without interrupting the focus and goals of your meeting agenda. PARKING LOT Continue reading →

meeting management, meetings, parking lot

Meeting facilitation

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Mission Critical Meetings still selling strong and getting stronger

January 9, 2018

Ava S. Butler

Mission Critical Meetings: 81 Practical Facilitation Techniques was published in 2014. I’m grateful and honored that sales continue to grow, with 2017 sales the highest so far. I continue to receive feedback on how valuable this practical ‘how to’ book is for those who facilitate meetings. Thank you all. I continue to welcome your sales and reviews.

When Mission Critical Meetings first came out, I blogged all 81 techniques. The techniques showed up in internet searches thousands of times. The top five searches where my blogs were clicked are:

Project Charters
Transformation Maps
Parking Lot
Meeting Continue reading →

facilitation, meeting management, meetings, Project charters, transformation map

Meeting facilitation

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Why are so many people in meetings where nothing gets done?

August 27, 2015

Ava S. Butler

Too many executives and managers complain about being stuck in back-to-back meetings all day with no time to ‘get work done.’ This is especially true during organizational transition, where roles and decision-making authority are unclear, and organizational discipline is low.

Here are a few tips to use meetings effectively and free up time for getting work done.

Appoint an owner for each meeting:

This person is accountable for inviting the right people and setting an agenda that is worthy of participants’ time.

Be clear about the purpose and expected outcomes of every meeting:

If the only purpose of the Continue reading →

agendas, decision making, facilitation, meeting management, meetings

Meeting facilitation, Techniques to Improve Meeting Productivity

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New research hints at ways to make meetings more effective

April 27, 2015

Ava S. Butler

The April 4th edition of the Economist shared valuable new research on the pitfalls of decision making in meetings and how to avoid or diminish them. The article is below and practical tips are highlighted.

__________

WORKING life often seems like an endless sequence of tiresome meetings. Catch-ups, kick-offs and reviews litter the calendars of most professionals. Effectiveness around the conference table can determine success in almost every career. Chief executives spend a third of their time in pow-wows of one sort or another, by one estimate. Monetary policy is usually set by committee; juries deliberate behind closed doors Continue reading →

agendas, decision making, facilitation, meeting management, meetings

Meeting facilitation, Techniques to Make Decisions

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Four Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness: #4 Written Questions

March 29, 2015

Ava S. Butler

“In addition to meeting together, sometimes our group meets by phone or across locations and even via E-mail. Is there a meeting evaluation technique that I can use both inside and outside a face-to-face meeting?”

#4 Written Questions

What are Written Questions?

the Written Questions technique gathers written feedback on your meeting’s effectiveness from each individual in the meeting. The technique requires each participant to complete a meeting evaluation questionnaire that has been prepared in advance.

Written Questions, like the other meeting evaluation techniques described in this blog, does more than simply analyze and measure the effectiveness of your meetings. Continue reading →

agendas, facilitation, meeting management, meetings, off-sites

Implementing Change, Meeting facilitation, Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness

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Four Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness: #3 Team Effectiveness Chart

March 24, 2015

Ava S. Butler

“My team is very exacting and likes to use quantitative ratings. Is there a meeting evaluation technique I can use that satisfies this criterion?”

#3 Team Effectiveness Chart

What is a Team Effectiveness Chart?

A Team Effectiveness Chart visually and quantifiably measures specific aspects of your meeting, such as level of open communication, satisfaction with results accomplished, how well the group honors the ideas of others, or other components of the meeting. The resulting measurements are charted on grids with numerical rankings.

A Team Effectiveness Chart serves as a visual aid to display quantified group ratings. This chart can Continue reading →

agendas, facilitation, meeting management, meetings

Meeting facilitation, Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness

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Four Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness: #2 Once Around the Table

March 16, 2015

Ava S. Butler

“I wish I knew what participants are thinking as we close the meeting. I’d like to hear not just about the meeting itself and the decisions we’ve taken but also their general thoughts. What can you suggest?”

#2 Once Around the Table

What is Once Around the Table?

Once Around the Table is a simple and powerful technique. It provides participants the opportunity to first reflect and then communicate their thoughts as the meeting comes to a close. This technique usually creates a good sense of closure and completeness to the session. But don’t use it if you Continue reading →

agendas, facilitation, managing change, meeting management, meetings, off-sites

Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness

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Learn how to ‘Grow Your Business With a Book’ at the Tucson Festival of Books

March 9, 2015

Ava S. Butler

If you have wondered how to a book can help you grow your business and you are in Tucson for the Festival of Books this Sunday, March 15, please join me.

Scheduled events:

Workshop: Grow Your Business with a Book

Publishing a book can be a powerful way to market your expertise and grow your business. What kinds of books do business owners, consultants, and other professionals publish? How do they go about getting them published?Integrated Learning Center Room 119 (Seats 60, Wheelchair accessible)

Sun, Mar 15, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Book/Movie Biz
Signing area: Sales & Continue reading →

Business growth, meeting management, meetings

Growing your business, Meeting facilitation

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Ava S. Butler

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

Planning is critical to successful meetings: use this checklist to help you prepare

Back by Popular Demand: How to Use a Parking Lot in Your Meetings

Mission Critical Meetings still selling strong and getting stronger

Why are so many people in meetings where nothing gets done?

New research hints at ways to make meetings more effective

Four Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness: #4 Written Questions

Four Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness: #3 Team Effectiveness Chart

Four Techniques to Evaluate Meeting Effectiveness: #2 Once Around the Table

Learn how to ‘Grow Your Business With a Book’ at the Tucson Festival of Books

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