Personal Efficiency and Managing Meetings Training Course

Self-Awareness and Interpersonal Dynamics

• Understanding that requesting attendance imposes our own priorities onto others
• Exploring the factors that drive our behavior
• Assessing our impact on others: Do they consistently respond as we expect? If not, why not…?

Meeting Management Processes

• Evaluating the necessity of a meeting, exploring alternatives, and determining if those alternatives are preferable
• Implementing the full cycle of scheduling, facilitating, and preparing meeting outcomes:
  • Developing a clear agenda that outlines objectives, key topics, and estimated timings
  • Inviting only essential participants
  • Facilitating the session by ensuring contributions are relevant, sticking to the agenda, and managing time effectively
  • Documenting outcomes, focusing on action points rather than just detailed minutes
  • Scheduling follow-up sessions as needed

Participating in Meetings

• Evaluating the necessity of attending every invited meeting
• Developing criteria to decide when to attend and when not to
• Identifying valid reasons for declining invitations
• Determining appropriate actions during the meeting regarding attendees, discussion topics, and time allocation

Productivity and Time Management Strategies

• Setting and adhering to personal and professional goals
• Work Prioritization
  • Determining which tasks require immediate attention
  • Establishing a logical order for completing activities
• Managing Employee-Imposed Time: Distinguishing between supporting staff and being controlled by their schedules
• Countering Time Bandits: Identifying and mitigating factors that erode productivity
  • Email communications
  • Phone calls
  • Unplanned interruptions
  • Procrastination and displacement activities
  • Other distractions…
• Delegating tasks effectively
• Assertiveness: Learning to seek compromises and say “no” constructively