A Crisis of Credibility

Posted on by Scott

“A man has no more character than he can command in a time of crisis.” – Ralph W. Sockman

It seems like every day I hear another story about someone who has been victimized at the hands of malicious hackers and scam artists. Yesterday afternoon, my personal email account became the latest target. Either through a direct attack, or as the result of a trojan picked up from another poor soul’s account, thousands of emails proclaiming the glories of “working at home” went out under my name. If you’ve ever been impacted by one of these attacks, you can sympathize with the feeling of dread that came over me.

As I drove home from the office, my cell phone came alive with calls, emails and texts from concerned family, friends and colleagues. They all were pretty sure this was the result of a computer virus or some other external assault, and were kindly reaching out to make sure I knew about it. Anyone who knows me understands that I would never engage in this type of mass spam campaign – even if I had something worthy to say. But I’m sure my credibility took a hit nonetheless.

Credibility is not something to be taken lightly. If you want people – customers, coworkers, family and even strangers – to believe what you have to say when it counts, you have to speak from a foundation of trust. Credibility is built one brick at a time. Everything thing you say, everything you write, everything you do works to form the impression people have of who you are what you stand for. But it only takes one crisis to bring that wall of credibility crashing down.

How you respond to a crisis speaks volumes about your credibility. Too many companies have found themselves vilified because they did not respond appropriately when it mattered the most. When you properly address the crisis, you’ll find your credibility is maintained, or even enhanced, rather than damaged.

Here are some basic rules for managing a crisis. I’ve included the steps I took yesterday in response to my email problem. Maybe it will help you should you find yourself the victim of a similar attack.

Act quickly. Several companies have made headlines recently because they chose to sit on a problem for too long before addressing it. You have to move quickly in order to assure your customers that the problem is not being ignored. Don’t assume a crisis will pass away quietly. They rarely do. Even if your customers aren’t talking to you, they’re talking to someone. And you can be sure the conversation isn’t a positive one.

[As soon as I could safely get home, I began attacking the issue with my email account. I knew I couldn’t wait until I changed clothes or had dinner.]

Communicate early. Don’t wait until everything has been fixed before you communicate with your customers. They want (and need) to know that you are aware of the problem and actively addressing it. In the absence of any official word, people tend to fill in the blanks with their own assumptions.

[The first thing I did was communicate, in the best way I could, to those affected by the issue. I wanted them to know it was not intentional and needed to warn them against opening the spam email. I didn’t want them to suffer the same effects I did.]

Fix it. Fast. When something blows up that has the potential to impact your credibility, you can’t afford to move slowly. You need to stop the bleeding, so this is no time to appoint a committee. Your ability to quickly recognize and address the issue will speak volumes to your customers. Gather your best people, outline a plan, and execute.

[Next, I stopped any outgoing email from the affected account. Luckily I could still get in, so I changed the password. Then I deleted all contacts so that nothing could populate the To: line without me typing it in directly.]

Address the weak spot. Just because you’ve solved the immediate problem, don’t assume your work is over. While the issue is still hot, you need to take the steps necessary to keep it, or something similar, from happening down the road. Now is the time to diagnose, improve processes, and apply preventative measures. Companies that don’t take the opportunities to learn from their mistakes risk making them again. The impact to their credibility can be devastating.

[I’ll no longer be using that particular email account to send any correspondence. I don’t want future, legitimate emails I might send being viewed as spam. Since the attack occurred while my PC was powered down, I don’t think it was the result of a virus or other malicious software. But I went ahead and ran an anti-virus scan anyway. I logged in to my other accounts (facebook, linkedin, etc.) and changed the associated email address. I also changed all of my passwords to be sure those accounts won’t be compromised.]

Thankfully, my network of friends knows me well enough to realize I didn’t intentionally betray their trust. Those I’ve talked to are savvy enough to realize email scams are an unavoidable part of living in a connected world. Hopefully I’ve bolstered their trust in me by responding as best I could to my involvement in this one.

Traits Of High Performing Teams

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The fantastic group of top performers that make up my team live and work in a variety of locations. As a result, a lot of our team interaction takes place over the phone or via email. So its always a pleasure when we have the opportunity to work on the same project, in the same place, at the same time. You know, as a team.

Last week the group came together to facilitate a series of workshops designed to guide a group of managers through the process of setting annual goals for their staff members. Watching them work was phenomenal. After the final session was over, and every one had gone their separate ways, I had a chance to reflect on the three days we’d spent together. I thought about the things I had just witnessed and jotted down a few observations. Here are some of the things I feel contributed to an incredible team effort.

– They each perform well as individuals. Each member of the team is a superstar in their own right. You can’t have a winning team without talent, and I’m fortunate that the men and women I work with on a regular basis are each very good at what they do. They each strive to be the best at what they do, so I know that when it’s their turn to perform, I’ll get the best possible result.

– They work well together. You don’t have to look far (try the world of pro sports) to find examples of teams loaded with individual superstars, but no teamwork. A team is more than a collection of people. A team has an identity, a rhythm. This doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and practice. But once you’ve been part of a team that works well together, you’ll spend the rest of your career trying to recapture that feeling. I have a great team. And I love it when they have the chance to work together. They do too.

– They share a common goal. Take a group of top performers, get them working together well, and you have a team. Instill a passion for excellence and focus them on the same goal, and you have something magical. We had many meetings and planning sessions before our project came about last week. Going in, everyone knew what the end result needed to be. And everyone was committed to making that result a reality.

– They “get it.” ‘Nuff said.

– They are committed to team success and that of their teammates. Top performers like to be recognized for their accomplishments. Members of high performing teams understand that their success is tied to that of the team and, by extension, the success of their teammates. As a result, they work just as hard when their role is a backseat one. They understand that when the team looks good, they look good. When a teammate is recognized, their stock rises because of their association with another top performer.

– They know their strengths and limitations (and those of their teammates). You know that guy who knows everything, already has all the skills, and can do anything? Yeah, neither do I. But too many people believe they have to be that person in order to be successful. Great teams happen when each member willingly takes the lead in their area of expertise and hands over the reins when the task at hand in best handled by someone else.

– They’re not afraid to disagree. Great teams have some great arguments. They stem from passion, from a desire to produce a superior result. If your team argues about petty issues or suffers from personality attacks, they’ll have difficulty in putting it aside to present a unified front. Healthy disagreements revolve around the project at hand, around the issues.

Over the past few days, I’ve received several complimentary emails from managers who attended our goal-setting workshops. We hit a home run on this project. But I know that wouldn’t have been possible without a great team. As I share each comment with the team, and see them complimenting each other in turn, I’m reminded of how truly blessed I am to work with such a great group.

5 Mistakes Managers Make During An Interview

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They looked so good on paper. They have the right experience, and the interview seemed to go so well. They were so well spoken and and had all the right answers. The decision to hire was a slam-dunk.

But that was several weeks ago. That new employee – the one that was so great, the one you bragged about stealing away from the competition – just isn’t working out. What you thought was the perfect hire now seems like a mistake.

What went wrong? How could you have made such an error in judgement? In my experience, there are five key mistakes that managers often make when evaluating a prospective new member of the team.

1. Placing too much value on experience. Resumes are designed to highlight a job candidate’s qualifications for the job they are applying for. Savvy candidates will tailor their resume to the position you’re hiring; emphasizing the attributes and experience that align with your expectations, while downplaying or eliminating those that don’t fit. An astute hiring manager knows that the resume doesn’t tell the whole story. At best, it provides a starting point for a thorough investigation into the candidate’s potential fit.

2. Not properly preparing for the interview. Too many times, I’ve seen managers rush into an interview at the last minute, apologizing to the candidate as they hastily look over their resume and/or application. It’s obvious they’re not prepared. They haven’t taken the time to think about the important components of the job that need to be discussed or identify specific aspects of the candidate’s background that need to be explored. It takes time to shift your focus from a prior meeting or project to the interview at hand. These managers are beginning one the most important discussions they could engage in and they didn’t consider it important enough to do their homework.

3. Talking too much. Having not taken the time to prepare, managers now begin the interview without a clear direction for the discussion. So they talk. And talk. Unarmed with targeted questions and uncomfortable with the silence that follows the ones they do ask, they seek to fill the void. So they start with small talk and continue filling the time by focusing on specifics related to the company’s history, benefits, and even the dress code. Its not that these topics are bad ones to talk about, but when the hiring manager does all the talking, there’s no chance for the candidate to speak about their qualifications. Ideally, you want the candidate to do 70% of the talking during the interview. Save time at the end for them to ask questions of you regarding the organization or specific aspects of the job.

4. Not asking the right questions. “If you were an animal, what would it be?” “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Useless questions like these tell you nothing about an applicants qualifications or their potential fit for the position at hand. Furthermore, they are so open-ended that its almost impossible to answer incorrectly. You’ll waste a few minutes of interview time, but learn nothing useful.

5. Interviewing alone. A sharp candidate will quickly figure out the kinds of things you like to hear and focus on those topics or buzz words. Interviewing as a team allows for a multi-faceted assessment of the candidate’s experience and capabilities. Each member of the panel will pick up on things the others missed. This allows for a productive post-interview discussion. With the same panel conducting each interview, its easier to compare the qualities of your candidates.

Hiring a new employee is an expensive proposition. A bad hire means wasted time, money and opportunity. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll stand a better chance of hiring the right person for the job.

A Simple Model for Coaching

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I was talking to a group of managers this week about coaching and gave them this mnemonic to help them remember the key components. An effective C.O.A.C.H. will:

Clarify expectations. Good coaching starts with setting clear expectations for your employee. They have understand what’s expected before they can begin to process the skills required to perform.

Observe behavior. Some managers act as if all they have to do is communicate what they want in order to produce the desired result. As if voicing their desire will make it so. But it’s not enough to tell your employees what you want. You have to see them in action to see how well they do it. An employee with clearly defined goals may still need training, resources, motivation, or reinforcement. An absentee leader cannot coach.

Act as a role model. Want your employees greet customers within 30 seconds? You’ll need to model this behavior. Want them to pick up the piece of trash in the parking lot instead of walking past it? Show them how its done. They may listen to what you say, but its how you act that tells them how serious you are. Think they’re not watching? You’re wrong.

Catch ’em doing it right. Positive reinforcement is a powerful, but underutilized tool. Human beings love to hear positive feedback. It’s the best way to ensure performers keep performing.

Handle low performers. Want to see your top performers disengage? Then do nothing about the coworkers who refuse to pull their weight. Failing to address under-performing only exacerbates the problem. Without corrective action, you’ll eventually see the entire team’s performance degrade.

These last two points go hand-in-hand. Reward and accountability are two sides of the same coin. Remember, you’ll receive an abundance of what you praise or tolerate.

There’s a lot more to be said about effective coaching. Look for more thoughts in future posts.

Achieving the Impossible

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May 6, 1954 began like most other spring days in southern England. A morning rain shower left the air cold and a stiff wind blew for most of the day. At the Iffley Road Track in Oxford, spectators began arriving for the University’s annual track meet against the Amateur Athletic Association. As he began his stretching routine, Roger Bannister , a young medical student, contemplated the goal he had set for himself. Bannister was set to run in the one-mile event. In defiance of history, Bannister planned to not only win the race, but to do so in less than four minutes.

Others had attempted the break the four minute barrier. The closest was Gunder Hagg, a Swede who posted a time of 4:01.4 in 1945. In the eight years since, no one else had come close. Sporting experts had decided that the four minute mark could only be passed under ideal conditions – the right weather, the right track, the right training regimen. But as Bannister approached the starting line on the track (still damp from the morning shower), he took note of the chill in the air. At least the wind had died down.

At 6:00 pm, the starting gun was fired and the race began. Trailing for most of the race, Bannister pulled out all the stops during the last 300 yards. Crossing the finish line, he collapsed onto the track, unable to stand. The noisy crowd fell silent waiting for the race results. Finally, the announcer broke the silence. Bannister had won the race and achieved his goal – a new world record time for the one-mile event – 3:59.4.

Advice on setting and achieving goals is commonplace. Ever heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals? That’s all well and good, but what does it take to achieve the kind of breakthrough performance that Roger Bannister experienced? How does one go about achieving what everyone says can’t be done?

Here are three lessons from Roger Bannister’s experience that I think answer that question:

He set an impossible goal.
I think one of the reasons people often fail to reach a particular goal is because their aim is set too low. Goals that are too vague or only require a little stretch are easily forgotten. Impossible goals get your attention. They command your daily focus if they stand any chance of becoming reality. Coming off of a huge defeat in the 1951 Olympics, Bannister knew he needed a new approach to training if he were to remain competitive. Winning the next race wasn’t a big enough goal to push him out of his comfort zone. But breaking the four minute barrier forced him to rethink his motivation, his priorities, and his approach to training.

He believed it was possible.
Contrary to popular opinion and scientific evidence, Bannister believed – no, he knew – that a sub-four minute mile run was achievable. Others before him had come close, but failed because they didn’t believe. Their disbelief guaranteed their failure. One of Bannister’s biggest rivals, John Landy, had given up his quest to break the four minute barrier saying “It is a brick wall. I shall not attempt it again.”

He focused on the possible.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. While impossible goals get your attention, they can also easily overwhelm you. The key is to break the goal into smaller, more achievable steps. This helps you to keep a positive focus and celebrate successes along the way. Bannister didn’t focus on the mile. He spent his training time perfecting his quarter mile run, eventually reaching a point where he could consistently run the quarter mile in under one minute. Once he reached this point he knew he could put them together and achieve his goal.

By the way, it’s funny how once someone achieves the impossible, it suddenly becomes possible. The unattainable becomes the benchmark. Forty-six days after Roger Bannister’s amazing run, John Landy set a new world record for the mile with a time of 3:58. Today, a sub-four minute mile run is commonplace. The current world record is 3:43.13.

4 Steps To Effective Voicemails

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You’ve let it sit on the corner of your desk all week – that dreaded call list. But now your manager is working his way office to office, asking how everyone is making out with their calls.

So you pick up the phone and dial the number, praying it’s been disconnected. It starts ringing, so you pray no one picks up and it goes to voicemail. And when it does, you still trip over your tongue and hang up feeling like a complete idiot.

Or maybe you feel totally prepared, project a professional tone, but still don’t understand why no one calls you back. Either way, odds are you aren’t showing the value that can be found by connecting with you.

Here’s my four step formula for crafting a value-filled voicemail.

1. Know who you’re calling. You have a name and  a phone number, but that’s not enough. You need to conduct a little research. The point is to paint a picture of your customer. You need to find out how they think and what they are trying to accomplish.

If you’re reaching out to an existing customer, pull up their account and see what you can learn. What products do they already have? How do they use them? How much do they spend with you? What problems have they reported in the past? What about their demographics?

If you’re calling on a potential customer, the internet is your friend. Type their name into Google and LinkedIn to see what you can find out about them. What kind of business are they in? Do they even use the sort of product or service you offer? What can you find out about the specific contact your attempting to reach?

The better you are at understanding your target’s point of view, the better you’ll be able to position your message in a way that they’ll receive in a positive light.

2. Know why you’re calling. Maybe you want to sell something. Maybe you need to gather some information. Or maybe you need your customer or prospect to perform some action that will help you get some paperwork off of your desk. Regardless of the purpose of your call, you need to reframe the goal in terms of what your target needs.

What opportunity are they currently missing out on? What problem could they solve by moving forward? What inconveniences do they stand to face by not taking action? By positioning your goal as their goal you’ll stand a better chance of getting the response you need.

3. Know your desired outcome. Sure, you’re calling this prospect with the hopes of earning a sale; but what is the specific next step you want the recipient of your call to take? Do you need them to answer a question, agree to a meeting, or send you a document? Know exactly what you want to happen as a result of your call.

4. Craft your message. Know that you have these three building blocks, its time to craft your message. Assuming you’ll be connected to voicemail, write out your message – on paper. Spend some time massaging the words until you have a message that clearly communicates the value your customer/target will realize by taking the step(s) you identified in step 3.

Now all that’s left is to pick up the phone and make the call. When the phone rings, clear your throat and prepare to leave your professionally crafted message. If, by chance, your prospect answers, simply read the first sentence or two of your message as an introduction to your call.

Want to see how it works? Check out this voicemail I received and how I would rescript it using this method.

5 Reasons I Don’t Return Your Call

Posted on by Scott

1. I can’t understand you.
– You talk too fast.
– You talk too soft.
– You mumble.
– There’s road noise or other interference.

2. You sound bored.
Powering your way through a long list of calls? It shows. And I don’t care. If you can’t muster the energy to sound like you really want to talk to me, then I don’t want to talk to you. In fact, I didn’t even listen to your entire message.

3. You’re a name-dropper.
Telling me my boss or some other influential member of my company suggested you call me is a sure way to earn a delete vs. a call-back. Anyone who feels I should speak with you will forward your contact information to me. Name-dropping is a desperate ploy by an unprepared caller.

4. You haven’t done your homework.
Show me you really want my business by doing a little background work. Don’t pronounce my name correctly? No call back. Don’t demonstrate that you understand my business? Forget it.

5. You have nothing of value to offer.
If you want me to call you back, you have to communicate why it’s worth my time to do so. Calling to “check in”, “touch base” or “chat” wastes my time and yours. Show me what I stand to gain by speaking with you and I’ll pick up the phone.

The Power of a Leader’s Influence

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IsmayOn April 12, 1912, The RMS Titanic, then the largest passenger steamship in the world, struck on iceberg while traveling on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City. Two hours and forty minutes later, Titanic slipped beneath the waves and into history. 1,517 people lost their lives, while survivors and families struggled to make sense of the tragedy.

In the days that followed, newspapers across the world relayed stories from the disaster – stories of heroic acts of bravery and stories of incredible acts of cowardice. One of the most publicized villains was Bruce Ismay – the managing director of the White Star Line and one of the designers of the Titanic.

Ismay was onboard the Titanic, but managed to escape on a lifeboat and survived. Following the disaster, Ismay was blamed for the incident and labeled a coward. It was reported that he drove the captain to push the Titanic faster than was necessary in order to prove the power of his creation. It was said that he scrambled aboard a lifeboat ahead of women and children while other men willingly stayed behind. And Ismay was condemned for resigning shortly after the sinking, disappearing from public view so he wouldn’t have to face scrutiny for his actions.

By all accounts, Bruce Ismay epitomized the greedy, cut-throat capitalist who, in the end, turns out to be a gutless coward. But the newspapers had it wrong. You see, Bruce Ismay was none of these things. And during the official inquiries into the sinking of Titanic the real truth came out.

Letters surfaced in which Ismay advised Captain Smith to sail only as fast as prudent and safe. Other letters from Ismay discouraged altering the timelines of other voyages in order to facilitate an earlier arrival. Witnesses during the inquiry testified that Ismay spent nearly two hours assisting other passengers, namely women and children, into lifeboats before being ordered into one himself. Only then, finding no women in the vicinity to take his place, did he enter the lifeboat.

Ismay did retire following the sinking, but this move had been announced months before the voyage. Following the disaster, he petitioned the board to keep his post, but the negative publicity was too overwhelming. So Ismay took a position on the board of an insurance company whose primary clients were Titanic victims and their families. For 25 years, he relived the disaster at every meeting.

So what happened? How did the press get the facts so horribly wrong? It seems that early in his career, a newspaper writer and publisher named William Randolph Hearst approached Ismay for an interview. Being a shy, private man, Ismay refused and Hearst held a grudge. When the Titanic went down, he saw an opportunity to vent his anger. It was his papers that printed the first – and worst – stories. Other publications followed his lead and Ismay’s reputation was forever ruined despite his heroism.

I’ve heard leadership described as influence. Effective leaders understand the power their influence has over others. Used properly, a leader’s influence can solve problems, mobilize others and effect positive change. Used irresponsibly though, this same influence can be terribly destructive.

Here are three steps to properly leveraging your influence as a leader:

  1. Put your emotions aside. As a professional journalist, Hearst should have been able to put his emotions aside. He should have known that when you speak or write from a negative emotion, you usually wind up saying something out of line. Make sure your intentions are honorable before acting.
  2. Do your research. Check the facts before passing along something second-hand information. It’s extremely embarrassing to find out you’ve been party to rumor or innuendo. So focus on facts rather than assumption or hearsay. Although Hearst’s papers were the first to wrongly accuse Ismay, others quickly followed suit without checking the facts.
  3. Go overboard on apologies. When you do misspeak, quickly correct the mistake. I don’t know if Hearst ever published a retraction, but if he did it was probably very small and buried in an obscure part of the paper. I suspect even a front-page apology wouldn’t be enough to undo the damage done to Ismay’s reputation.

Credibility is easy to lose, and very hard to regain. The best leaders do their best to preserve their own credibility and protect the credibility of others.

Sales Meeting Tips, Part 2

Posted on by Scott

In my last post, I provided few thoughts on structuring an effective sales meeting. Whether designed as a stand-alone meeting or incorporated into an existing operations meeting, a good sales meeting is essential to maintaining a high-performing sales team. Here are some additional tips for getting the most out of the time spent with your team.

Vary the topics discussed. If you bring up the same subjects week after week, you’ll become too predictable and your staff will tune out. Potential meeting ideas include:
o Review your latest scorecard or campaign results.
o Lead the group in sharing sales success stories.
o Select a particular product or service and provide in-depth training.
o Perform some service mapping.
o Engage the team in strategy brainstorming.
o Share an article or video and discuss how it relates to your team’s mission.
o Invite a guest speaker to educate, inspire or challenge the team.

• Be yourself. You may find it useful to take advantage of pre-written meeting guides or other source material as the foundation of your meeting. If you decide to use such a guide, I encourage you to use your own words rather than those provided. You will be much more effective as a leader if your personality comes through. Add your own thoughts and questions. The precise words are less important than the concepts being discussed and the actions that come after.

• Make sure everyone joins in the meeting. Some employees are more eager to participate than others and can easily overpower their teammates. If you see this happening, you may need to specifically call on the quieter ones to encourage their input. Everyone’s point of view is valuable, so everyone should be heard.

• Use follow-up techniques to make sure the topics are fully discussed. Ask the initial question and follow each response with a statement/question such as “Tell me more,” or “Why do you think that is?” Ask the initial question again of someone else to hear a different train of thought. Write some follow-up ideas down so you’ll be ready when the time comes.

• Pay attention to time. If you have only scheduled 15 minutes for your sales meeting, you may find that you’re unable to ask all of the planned discussion questions. If this happens, you may decide to schedule a follow-up meeting to continue the discussion. Or you may find that you’re proceeding more quickly than expected and your 45 minute meeting will be over too soon. If this happens, make sure the group is fully exploring each topic. Ultimately, the amount of time taken for your meeting is not important. The key is to make sure that the time spent together provides value to the team and that everyone walks away with specific next steps.

Sales meetings can be a great way to bring your team together. Used effectively, they’ll help you keep everyone engaged and on track.

Sales Meeting Tips, Part 1

Posted on by Scott

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Establishing a regular meeting is the best way for you to communicate with your staff. It allows everyone to hear the same message at the same time and within the same context. Properly conducted, your meeting will help you keep everyone on your team engaged, focused on the task at hand, and motivated to perform. Here are a few tips for putting together a productive meeting.

Who should attend?
Everyone. Obviously, those who have scorecard goals should be involved in your regular meetings. But anyone who comes in contact with the Customer impacts their experience and, therefore, the performance of the team.

Ideally, all team members meet together. While there may be topics that pertain to only one group, others may benefit from hearing the discussion. Tellers included in a discussion of average loan growth can gain valuable insight into how their job can impact that category.

How long should they last?
It depends. Some may prefer to have a dedicated meeting focused strictly on a review of performance or planning for the next week. In this case, try to keep meetings to no more than 45 minutes.

Others may want to incorporate a discussion of sales and service topics into a regularly scheduled operations meeting. In this scenario, the discussion may only last 10-15 minutes.

What do you talk about?
The key to a good meeting is planning for it ahead of time. Know what you want to accomplish going into the meeting and then organize your thoughts around that objective. There are three typical objectives when it comes to any kind of meeting.

• Inform – You want to share something with the team. For example, you want to inform the team about a new product or changes to an existing product.

• Discuss – You want to gather information from the team. For example, you wan the team to brainstorm strategies for achieving a particular goal.

• Direct – You want the team to engage in a specific set of actions. For example, you want to direct the team to begin using a new skill or process.

How do you get started?
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Schedule your first meeting. If you already have regular staff meetings, then decide how much time you’ll devote to sales and service related topics. If you haven’t had a meeting in a while, put one on the calendar right now. And then inform your team so they can be prepared for it.

2. Prepare the talking points for the first meeting. Take some time to write out a structure for your meeting. What is your objective? What points will you cover? What questions will you ask? What resources do you need?

3. Commit to a regular meeting schedule. Too many times, good ideas get off to a great start only to lose steam and disappear. Don’t let that happen to your meetings.

In my next post, I’ll share some more tips for getting the most out of your team meetings.