19.4 Business and Professional Meetings

Humans seek interaction, and this has led to new ways to market, advertise, and interact; however, caution is warranted when engaging in social media online. When you use the media, remember a few simple cautions:

1. Not everything is at it appears. The individuals on the forum may not all be who they represent themselves to be. 2. The words you write and the images you send, regardless of how much you trust the recipient, may become public and can remain online forever . 3. Always consider what you access and what you post, and how it represents you and your employer, even if you think others cannot know where you work or who you are. 4. Be aware that Internet service providers (ISPs) are required by law to archive information concerning the use and traffic of information that can become available under subpoena.

Mary Ellen Guffey provides a useful participant checklist:

Arrive on time and stay until the meeting adjourns (unless there are prior arrangements) Leave the meeting only for established breaks or emergencies Be prepared and have everything you need on hand Turn off cell phones and personal digital assistants Follow the established protocol for turn taking Respect time limits Demonstrate professionalism in your verbal and nonverbal interactions Communicate interest and stay engaged in the discussion Avoid tangents and side discussions Respect space and don't place your notebook or papers all around you Clean up after yourself Engage in polite conversation after the conclusion

Wikis

Collaborations on Web content that are created and edited by users.

Software programs like ________ allow you to initiate a meeting request and receive an "accept" or "decline" response that makes an invitation process organized and straightforward

Microsoft Outlook

A meeting needs

a clear purpose statement

Statement of purpose

a list of points to be considered, and a brief summary of relevant information and relates to each point

Minutes

a written document that serves to record the interaction and can provide an opportunity for clarification

If you are going to interact via audio and visual signals, make sure you are prepared

appropriate dress, setting, and attitude are all required

Meeting in real time can be important as all group members have the

benefit of receiving new information at the same time

people communicate not just with words but also with their

body language- facial expressions, hand gestures, head nodding or head shaking, and posture

If information is to be distributed and presented from administration to managers, for example, a table with a

clear focal point for the head or CEO may be indicated

If you are the person responsible for the room reservation you should

confirm the reservation a week before the meeting and again the day before the meeting

If you are planning an intense work session, you need to

consider the number of possible interactions among the participants and limit them

If you have a purpose statement for the meeting, then it also follows that you should be able to

create an agenda

Your word choices will make a much more significant impact when communicating across cultures; strive to use

direct sentences and avoid figures of speech that do not translate literally

If the meeting has an emotional point or theme, or the news is negative, plan for additional time for

discussion, clarification, and recycling of conversations as the participants process the information

determining your purpose is central to an

effective meeting

Tables that are round, or tables arranged in a in a circular pattern, allow for a more

egalitarian model of interaction, reducing the hierarchical aspects while reinforcing the clear line of sight among all participants

Quality

emotional tone of your voice, from happy and enthusiastic to serious or even sad

Brief introductions can serve to

establish identity, credibility, and help the group transition to performance

If you are cast in the role of meeting leader, you may need to

facilitate the discussion and address conflict

A table that is square, rectangular, or U-shaped has a

fixed point at which the attention is directed, often reffered to as the head of the table

Virtual meetings

formally arranged gatherings where participants, located in distinct geographic locations, come together via the Internet

Modern business schools now view the study of organizational communication as an

integral part of the curriculum, noting the independent relationships of productivity, climate, and interaction between individuals within the organization (internal) and related to the organization (external), such as suppliers or customers

Cloud computing

involves secure access of files from anywhere as information is stored remotely

If you are gathering to present information or to motivate the sales staff where little interaction is expected, a ______ audience is appropriate

large

Professional networking sites

like LinkedIn allow people to link to, and interact with, others who work in their industry or related ones

volume

loudness of your voice

Mispronunciation can have a

negative impact on your reputation or perceived credibility

Fourms

often theme-based web sites that gather a community of individuals dedicated to a common interest

Organizational communication

or the study of communication context, environment, and interaction within an organization, was once the domain of speech communication departments

Change management, knowledge management, organizational culture, leaderships, and strategic planning often include elements of

organizational communication, and again examine communication from the perspective of efficiency and effectiveness

We can examine the study of communication within an organization, noting common interactive practices like

performance reviews, newsletters, supervisor and direction, and the flow of information throughout the organization

audio-only interactions

phone calls and voice-activated telephone menus, radio interviews, public address systems, dictation recording systems, and computer voice recognition technology

We can also study the practices of the organization as they relate to other organizations and the media, as in

public relations, crisis communication plans, and interorganizational interaction

Pitch

refers to the frequency, high or low, of your voice

Each member has a part to perform and they should each be aware of their

roles and responsibilities prior to the meeting

If a. meeting requires intense interaction and collaboration, generally a

round table or a circular pattern is indicated

For relatively formal meetings in which information is being delivered to a large number of listeners and little interaction is desired seating in

rows is an efficient use of space

if the need for a meeting arises do not

rush into it without planning

The agenda will have a

time, date, place, and method of interaction noted, as well as a list of participants.

______ are often the hardest part of any meeting

transitions

your _______, _______, and _______ also influence how your spoken words are interpreted

voice, quality, pitch

Blogs

web pages with periodic posts that may or may not feature feedback responses from readers

Social networking site

where people gather virtually to interact

double-booking

where two meetings are scheduled at the same time

Your voice has qualities that cannot be communicated in

written form