How to Create an Environment of Effective Communication at a Business Meeting - Research Paper Example

How to create an environment of effective communication at a business meeting INTRODUCTION Often during business meetings and other corporate get-togethers, one finds it hard to build an environment such that it is progressive, prone to succeed and simple to understand at the same time. “Business meetings discuss how a firm is progressing, what difficulties and hurdles it is facing and what it should do to overcome those. These meetings are a platform for all the concerned people to get together and decide the firm’s fate in the corporate world” (Ludden, Marsha p 235). Often such meetings lack what is called the environment of effective communication. Building up such an environment is extremely essential so that healthy discussions may take place and efficient and reliable outcomes generate out of those meetings. Here, it is of utmost importance and significance that we know what we mean by effective communication and how an environment can be made that gives rise to this. “Communication is the mode through which all humans transmit knowledge and information. This communication becomes effective when it leaves an impact” (Bough, Bennie p56). We hear a million things everyday and forget the million of them the very next day. There are just a few sayings that leave an impact on our minds and we retain them for longer. Those are the sayings that have been conveyed effectively. Also, effective communication means that the environment of discussion is progressive. The employees are helping each other out and are making sound decisions for the firm. They are discussing problems that the firm faces and not their personal disputes and agreements. Like it is wisely said that too many cooks spoil the broth, when so many workers are working together for a common goal that is success, it is likely that they will plunge into some discrepancies and arguments. However, any such personal disputes should be kept out of the window during business meetings. 2. CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 2.1 Setting the Example The first step towards building an environment of effective communication during business meetings is to realize that the employees follow their employers and stake holders. If the ones at the tops are fidgeting over petty issues and trying to pull each other’s legs, the employees shall do it too. It is the ones at the top of any business that determine the trends that would be followed by the ones at the working end. “If the employers are showing unethical and unprofessional behavior during business meetings, worse shall be expected from the employees” (Steele, William p228). Thus in order to maintain an environment that promotes effective communication during business meetings it is essential that the employers demonstrate a perfect example to the employees. They should know what etiquettes are required to stay within the corporate network of the firm. They should also know the consequences of being offensive or abusive during business meetings. Also, the employers should try to maintain a very solemn relationship with the employees. Although it seems to be a great idea that the employer is friends with his team but it often leads to lack of mannerism and business ethics during meetings and formal discussions. The employees should be scared of their boss so that they don’t forget their manners in aggravation or mere excitement during meetings. 2.2 Ensuring a positive environment at all times Secondly, in order to have an environment of effective communication during meetings, it should be ensured that such a positive environment is maintained in the workplace at all times. When the employees will be told to live as one business bonded family and all will strive to excel without dropping out the others from business, they will lead to effective communication and growth of the business. It is important to realize, however, that the employees need act as a family unit themselves, in fact that way they will not point out each other’s weaknesses and will hide the other person’s faults making the company drown. So it is important that they act as a “business-bonded” family where the linkage between them is not of love but of similar business and goals. That way, they will all strive to deliver their best, would not interfere in each other’s tasks and job and most importantly will point out when and if someone goes wrong. These are all signs of effective communication. To promote these the employers need to appreciate such activities and need to make it clear that backbiting and abusive language will not be tolerated at any cost. 2.3 Come Prepared In order to maintain an environment of effective communication during meetings, one of the most essential things is to have the employees prepared beforehand. The agenda for the meeting should be decided and told to everyone in the firm well in advance. Everyone should know of the proceedings and the discussion topics since it is very common experience that at the spur of the moment, even the most genius minds cannot come up with something brilliant. Therefore, everyone in the firm should know when the meeting would be held, what would be discussed, who would discuss it and what is expected from them. It is very important to come prepared because the time for the meeting is very precious. It cannot be possibly wasted on ramblings and talk that is not very important. Everything discussed during a business meeting should be very targeted and important so that by the end of the meeting, the employees should not feel that they have wasted their time rather they should feel that they have gained some additional know how of the company. Each employee who would possibly be given a chance to speak and present at the meeting should have his presentation prepared, his presentation notes sorted out and rehearsed so that there is no confusion at the last minute. The others who would be just listening should have their queries on paper and should listen actively. Effective communication can only occur when everyone knows the role he would play in the meeting. Unless the listeners listen actively, they would continue to ask questions which have been already addressed and waste everyone’s time or they would ignore some of the important points discussed in the meeting and so the main crux of the meeting will go unnoticed. Effective communication can thus only be achieved if the presenters are well prepared and the listeners don’t go asleep. The presenters should realize that presentations do get boring and monotonous so they should keep theirs to a minimum. It should have lots of catchy captions and more importantly, it should be interactive. Let the audience feel that they are a part of the presentation. That will ensure that everyone enjoys as long as the presentation lasts and even after that they’re up for questions and suggestions. 2.4 Divide the issues a firm faces There are some issues and problems in the firm that are not very important, or even if they are important, only a very small proportion of the employees can relate to them, such issues should not be addressed in a detailed way. That just wastes the time of a lot of other people who are attending the meeting. “Ideally, the most important issues should be brought up first, then the ones that are significantly important and lastly the least important. When the meeting comes to the last part, the attendance of all the employees should become voluntary instead of mandatory so that the environment of effective communication can be maintained” (Berkun, Scott p 145). Those who are not concerned with the less important talks would most likely interrupt and break the flow for those who are interested in those less important topics as for them that maybe very significant. So any questions, queries or discussions that pertain to a very limited number of people should be saved for the last part of the meeting. It should be jotted down however, since it may hold significance for some people. And this way, only the concerned employees would be present and the environment can be maintained. 2.5 Establish Rules The greatest distraction during business meetings is unnecessary fidgeting and random walkouts. These are certainly annoying since the ones still attending the meeting get disturbed and the whole flow of discussion breaks down. Thus meetings should have some rules and regulations and these rules should be clear to all the members of the meeting. Ideally, no one should be allowed to break in once the meeting starts which should be right after five minutes of the assigned time. No one should be allowed to leave until the break. The break should be after two-thirds of the meeting is over which means all the very important stuff has been discussed about and the last optional to attend part should follow the break. “Mobile phones, pagers and all other communication modes should be turned off and not just on silent or vibration mode during the meeting. The rules should be strict and anyone not adhering to them should be liable to strict punishment without looking at their position in the firm. A peon should be liable to the same punishment as a co-founder who breaks the same rule” (Gallo, Carmine p 99). This will ensure homogeneity and will help maintain the business environment during the meeting. 2.6 Organize the meeting. Do not stuff it till the brim. In order to maintain an effective communication environment throughout the meeting it also needs to be ensured that the meeting is not stuffed up with issues till the brim.” Preparation and agenda planning is all good but business meetings should not be over planned otherwise they will end up giving no results but more questions” (Gallo, Carmine p 98). There should be one main goal of the meeting, one major issue that is to be addressed. There could be other minor issues that can be discussed alongside but the meeting should not be stuffed with too many problems. That way, when one problem will be on the verge of being solved another one would set in. Therefore, plan frequent meetings each one catering to one goal precisely so that some outcomes may be achieved. Too many problems can even cause dissatisfaction amongst the employees. They may be turned down by the fact that the firm that they are working for is suffering from so many setbacks and problems. New employees especially may be discouraged. Hence, to stay on the safe side and to gain from these business meetings, they should have enough matter but not too much. This will help maintain an environment of effective communication since it will ensure that there is no overlapping discussion taking place, there is one topic at hand and everyone is discussing that only. 2.7 Make a follow up plan and demand its progress report during the next meeting The last most important thing that can be done during a business meeting to ensure that an environment of effective communication is maintained is to have an effective follow up plan for the entire meeting. “Every meeting should be productive and so there should be a follow-up plan that needs to be made within the meeting with some action items” (Bates, Suzanne p 78). This plan should include the specific action item. It should also have the name of the employee who would be designated to accomplishing that action item. There should be a deadline which is actually a “dead” line. And lastly,” there should be an agreement that says what would be done upon the completion of the action item. This will encourage new ideas from amongst the attendants of the meeting. It will encourage effective communication in the sense that the higher authorities will get to know what the employees want in the firm” (Schachter, Debbie p 225). The employees will have their say leading to rising contention and new ideas may bring brighter prospects for the firm. At times entrepreneurs cannot think of ideas that fresh minds can and so this might help in the smooth running of the firm. Also this action item plan will lead to the development of attributes like target making and target achieving. When the employees have goals in front of them and a deadline to achieve them, they would do everything to accomplish that. Other employees will learn by seeing the example. This way, there would be a lot of competition and positive spirit arising in the employees. It is also equally important to seek for accountability of the follow up plan during the next meeting. Often people say a lot during one meeting and its effect simply cools down or, more appropriately phrased, dies out before the next meeting. This is very discouraging for those who take the meetings seriously. To ensure that the effective communication environment is maintained, it is extremely important that the follow up plan is actually followed and the first thing during the next meeting should be to discuss its proceedings. This helps in boosting confidence of the involved employees and also serves as an encouragement for the rest to participate in such plans. Bonuses will add to the fervor hence should be present if possible. It should be kept in mind that failures are also a part of the game. Success comes but with lots of hard work and experience, it may be so that the follow up plan fails. In that case, it should not be totally forgotten otherwise these plans will never be taken seriously by the employees. In order to maintain the effective communication environment, it is essential to discuss why a plan failed, who was responsible for its failure and the concerned people should be given a chance to speak as to why they could not achieve it despite working hard on it. In this way everyone learns their lesson and things would be eminent to everyone. One doesn’t feel comfortable working for a firm if the employees keep hiding stuff from each other. It is always appreciated that everything is known to everyone so that no unjust decisions may be made and all the members of the firms know what happened and why. Also, on the accomplishment of a follow up plan, the concerned employees should be highly acknowledged in front of all the other members and all the contributors, high ranked or not, should be duly compensated. 3. Conclusion If the above mentioned ways are employed by a firm during its business meetings, it is guaranteed that it will be able to maintain the environment of effective communication throughout the meeting. “Effective communication will ensure that all the problems that the firm faces are tackled aptly and in the least possible time “(Donoghue, Paul p117). It will also ensure that the decisions that the firm makes are actually representing everyone involved in the firm’s activities. Also, effective communication gives rise to fresh ideas and minds leading to innovation and more chances of research and development. It also ensures satisfaction amongst the employees. They would be contended and would thus work for the firm earnestly. It will also ensure that no disputes or issues pass unhandled rather all problems are solved using democratic means ensuring that the best possible solution was implemented. Therefore, effective communication is bound to take the firm to greater heights hence is extremely desirable for the firm’s well being and growth. References Ludden, Marsha(2001). Effective Communication Skills: Essential Skills for Success in Work and Life. Jist Publishing. Bough, Bennie(2005). 101 Ways to Improve your Communication Skills Instantly. GoalMinds. Donoghue, Paul and Seigal, Mary(2005). Are you really listening? Keys to successful communication. Sorin Books. Brady, Mark (2005). Wisdom of Learning.Wisdom Publications. Bates, Suzanne (2005). Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results: Secrets for Communicating Attention and Getting Results. McGraw Hill. Schachter, Debbie(2009). Using communication to position ourselves as leaders. Information outlook. Gallo, Carmine (2006). 10 simple secrets of the world’s greatest communicators. Sourcebooks. Gallo, Carmine (2009). The presentation secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be insanely great in front of any audience. McGraw Hill. Berkun, Scott (2009). Confessions of a public speaker. O’ Reilly Media. Steele, William (2009). Presentation Skills 201: How to take it to the next level as a Confident, Engaging Presenter. Read More