People Should Have Warning Labels!

It Would Make Business So Much Easier For All Of Us

By David Miranda

It's high time that everyone in the business world (and maybe the personal world as well) had warning labels. It would save a lot of time and frustration.

For example, I was held hostage in a recent marketing meeting by several attendees who, if they had warning labels, I could have been better prepared.

There was one male participant at the meeting whose warning label should have been "I like to hear myself talk and I seldom, if ever, get to the point." One of his colleague's label should have been "I ask a lot of dumb questions demonstrating I have little grasp of the subject we are discussing." Another's should have been "I have no opinions of my own". And finally, the person who wasted the most time's label should have been "I create long and boring powerpoint presentations designed to show how smart I am and how dumb I think you are."

These labels would go far in making meetings (and business) more productive. Imagine how great it would be if these labels were noted next to each person's name on the agenda.

How about a label on the supposed "decision maker" at the meeting that says "I know I am supposed to be a decision maker, but actually I cannot make decisions."? Or another for a boss that says "I encourage my people to be innovative, but I really prefer the status quo".

Now let's all get out those label makers!

"We've Got To Stop (Internally) Meeting Like This!"

We Are Singing Off The Same Song Sheet, But We Aren't Making "Music"

By David Miranda

The cliches' are numerous describing teamwork and collaboration, i.e. "let's all get on the same page"; "we need to sing off the same song sheet"; "we all need to be rowing in the same direction", etc. Yada yada yada.

Truth be told, most internal meetings, despite the good intentions, are a waste of time. People meet just to meet - to review the minutes of the last meeting; plod through the agenda of the current meeting; and confirming the date and time of the next meeting.

An internal meeting is nothing but corporate overhead. At you next internal meeting, look around the room. What you will see is pure cost to the enterprise. If you are going to have an internal meeting, ask yourself the question "what is the ROI on the overhead of this meeting?", i.e. "How much revenue and/or profit is going to be generated as a result of our collective time in this room?"

One might argue that some meetings are necessary to discuss operational, human resources, accounting, processes, software, etc. This is true, but shouldn't all these subjects be discussed in terms of improving the company's financial performance. Otherwise what's the point?

If you are in a meeting where there is no discussion of top or bottom line, raise your hand and ask politely, "what does this meeting have to do with the company's financial performance?"

A relevant meeting begins with a relevant objective, i.e. "We need to increase our revenue by 4%" or "reduce our costs by 5%" or "increase our market share by 1%". "That's what this meeting is for so let's start the discussion".

People are generally eager to attend and participate in meetings that are action and objective oriented- where they can see results.

They don't want just to "sing off the same song sheet", they want to make "music" - as in revenue, profits, and market share.