I gave a presentation today that I thought was brilliant and informative. Towards the end of the presentation, a woman opened the door to the conference room and asked if would mind if she set up her laptop for her presentation since she had reserved that room for the next hour. We still had ten minutes left on the clock. My boss politely rebuffed her, telling her that we would be finished in a few minutes and that we were listening to a presentation. This person, who is apparently very thick, kept pressing the issue. She finally departed leaving her laptop as a marker and her interruption as a thorn in the conclusion of my talk.
Meeting space today is shared. In most corporate settings, conference room reservations are necessary. They can be made in a primitive sign up sheet posted outside the door or through a networked calendar application. Regardless, you have to respect the schedule. If you need extra time to prepare or wind-up then plan ahead and reserve the extra time.
Planning results in a successful meeting.
1. Invite the right people. Do not invite people who do not have a stake in the meeting.
2. Find appropriate accommodation. Large enough room to accommodate invitees.
3. Distribute an agenda. Inform people of the meeting's purpose and goals.
4. Designate and identify a meeting moderator or leader. Keep the meeting on track.
Your "planning results in a successful meeting strategy" is a great one. - CL
Posted by: Cecilia Lin | October 23, 2007 at 21:29
Great point. Schedules are important, because time is gold. When the meeting space is limited, then it should be first come, first served. The late ones will have to wait. I admire your boss for keeping his cool and politely telling the woman that she has to wait. You should be proud of him, hehehe.
Posted by: Blake Mitchell | May 23, 2011 at 14:51