Posts tagged meetings

Retired Guy Series: Got Out And…

Mar03
2011 3 Comments Written by Steve

For those of you that have been following the Retired Guy Series, thanks! I get emails, facebook and twitter inquires of what I am doing now that I have left corporate America. I get the jokes about sitting around the house doing nothing, to how is the honey-do list going and even did you get a job yet. In the past, I have wrote about my second career and how it is going. I also wrote that I needed to get out and meet more people and connect to help me with that second career.

Short recap – second career to me is not necessarily going after another corporate America job (I will not rule it out, if it is right in my passionate areas – managing and social media). I have worked very hard over my first career and have learn a lot. Which makes me really want to pass it on and give back. My journey the past couple of weeks has been pretty amazing…

  • Had a lunch meeting with Jeff Moriarty and Melanie McBride to check up on the happenings around their worlds. Jeff was his usual self and was very helpful in pointing me into a couple of areas that I maybe interested in. Especially, when I told him I was really looking for something that I can give back and in the area of the youth. I still have some more work to get to the right places and people, but this looks like a great volunteer opportunity.
  • I decided that I want to help out AZ4Education. Brian Sanders is the director and we go way back together. I really feel that education is important and if we can help out one child or teenager then I am willing to invest. I will be helping to market AZ4Education! So check it out…
  • Met with Valley Big Brother’s, Big Sister’s Big Experience coordinator Linde Harned this week. We had a very nice chat about my experiences and how I could apply them to the Big Experience. Later this month, I will attend one of their orientation meetings and we will figure out where my talents will be best served.
  • I attended a planning meeting of the Intel Arizona Alumni group – to see if this is something that I wanted to actively participate in. I met some amazing ex-Intel folks (Paula Satow, Barbara Mitchell, Eric Keosky-Smith and Rich Andrade. I was impressed by this small bunch of passionate planners and decided why not get involved. They have me helping out with communications! Gets me out to meet more of the Arizona ex-Intel folks… We all have something in common and probably much more. Maybe making those connections will help me with my second career…
  • Met with Laurie Buczek as well! I have written about Laurie in the past… Getting caught up with what is happening in her world is always a nice treat. I was even able to help her with some issues she was having with SPAM on her blog!
  • I also kept up on my reviewing job boards. Decided to drop Ladders (nothing in there ever panned out). I was able to find a couple of more opportunities that peaked my interest and passions. Applied and will be following up on those next week!
  • Finished two books! The Art of Non-Conformity(Amazon) by Chris Guillebeau (Book Review) and Poke The Box (Amazon) by Seth Godin.
  • And of course – some honey-do list items… I still have to do some backyard work. Leaving that for next week, weather is supposed to be outstanding.

So, I took action on getting out and about.. It definitely has opened some areas of interest and possibilities. How cool is that? To paraphrase from Poke The Box – I just need to get STARTED.

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Effective One on One Communications

Feb14
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Steve

After 20+ years of managing and working in corporate America, no one will argue that communicating with your direct reports is not important. One on One communications is the life blood of coaching, mentoring and developing the boss/employee relationship. Why is it, that many managers fail at this? Or employee’s just don’t want them? Could it be that the sessions are just not effective? Over those 20+ years, I hate to think how many of those one on one’s I have led or attended as the direct report. I do know I have had some great, good and terrible one’s.

Here are my very simple steps to making sure that these sessions are effective:

Agenda’s set in advance: Normally the one on one was the employee’s meeting (in my last employer) and they had to have an agenda. I have found that agenda’s are the first critical step. Know what is going to be discussed sets up the meeting in the right way. Some of the worst one on one’s were those that had no agenda. One point that I would make is, the agenda needs to be sent to the manager at least 24 hours in advance. This way, the manager has time to prepare.

Be prepared: Both the employee and manager need to be prepared! Prepared to discuss what is on the agenda without holding back. When the discussion is guarded, no one wins. Having the agenda ahead of time, helps the manager to be prepared to discuss in more detail. Being put on the spot sometimes can be damaging to the relationship. The one explain that really used to get me fired up as an employee was… My question would be something like, “how is my performance to date?”  The answer back, “keep doing what you are doing.” Two things come to mind… First, my agenda was probably not looked at ahead of time because the manager was not prepared… Or worse, this manager has no idea what I am doing – I have basically been goofing off the past month…

Set up meeting frequency regularly: Maybe it is me, but having a regular cadence and basic discussion topics insures successful discussions during the one on ones. Basic discussion topics are overall performance, professional development, help needed, coaching and general discussions. Not every topic can be accomplished every time.. Set up the meetings in the right cadence (every 2 weeks maybe) and have certain basic topics preset..

Listen: Better yet, effective listening… Make sure that this meeting is really about your direct report. This is one of those critical times where you as the manager get to really learn and help develop the employee/manager relationship. Listening helps you learn!

Follow-up: Sometimes the one on one will be so successful that the employee and manager may have some stuff that needs to get done outside of the session. Don’t forget to follow-up! Successful sessions get people excited and really to take on whatever is in front of them. Forgetting to follow-up, just demonstrates the words were just that words… Actions speak much louder!

Sounds simple, it truly is.

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Monitoring Your Team

Nov24
2010 2 Comments Written by Steve

Part 7 of my “New to Management” mini-series is on monitoring your team. Much of what you have to do as a manager is to insure that the goals set are being met. My post on monitoring work (for individuals) is a very good starting point. If you have set up some solid methods of monitoring your people’s performance, then you just have to work to up-level that to the team level. When I worked in the factory, I was handed more than enough data on the overall performance of my team. I was given both quantitative and qualitative reports at the touch of a finger. This was an idea situation for anyone that is working in a factory setting. Your data handy for you and your team to monitor, throughout the day. We are not all that lucky in most of our roles… We have to develop different approaches to monitoring our team.

What maybe available or what you may have to work on:

  • If you remember from the individual side of monitoring – we used a template for capturing our SMART goals and monitored performance by reviewing monthly. Well, the same can be applied to the team. Up-leveling or writing SMART goals for the team are easy (if you have done the same for each individual). Use the same process and review in staff meetings monthly. Good discussions can form from reviewing goals.
  • Most companies have mandatory training or refresher training that each employee needs to do. If so, then you as the manager need to make sure that the team is on track. Set up (if reports are not available) a monitoring system to insure that training is happening on time.
  • Another great way to have team discussions on how work is going is by having weekly status update meetings. One of my teams perfected a quick 15 minute session to update each other (and me). We had eight folks on the team. We used to stand up. Why? No need to get comfortable – quick status update. Since we were a virtual team – we used to use our video cameras to see each other. Each person would go through their update consisting of what got accomplished last week, what is on schedule for this week and any help needed – all had to be said within 90 seconds. We would capture this in our team site – for reference later on. People would note – if they were expecting stuff from someone else – when it was going to get done or not. Maybe follow-on discussions were necessary. Good, quick and effective update for the whole team to participate in.
  • For teams that are physically in the same location. Do you just sit and listen to the team members talk in the hallway, cafe or around the water cooler? You should. That is valuable information that you can use to see how well the team is doing. People love to talk. Use it! If you are like me and have a virtual team. Your work is truly cut out for you. How do you have a virtual water cooler for you team to discuss around? With some of the new enterprise 2.0 tools that are around; we have set up a virtual water cooler. The team uses this for everything and anything that normally goes on in the hallway. Discussions are captured and shared for the all. There have been some interesting threads on many items (some work, some not). We all want to feel like we belong…
  • Lastly, I have used surveys and 360 feedback to help me keep track of team performance. Asking the team how they think they are doing – is a good way to see things with their eyes. You, as the manager, have your thoughts, what are the folks thoughts? If your team provides services or products to other teams, it is always good to get the quality level data from those teams directly. Sharing all of the feedback with your team can help with continuous improvement. Maybe future SMART goals…

Whatever you use, make sure that that report, update or information is readily available to all team members. If they can even update that information, all the better. Simply keeps all of the team informed. Sets up another communication channel for all to use. Want to insure that you team is really performing? Make everything available anytime (goals, performance to those goals and communication channels) and what the results roll in.

Are there any monitoring tools or tricks you use to keep the team goals and performance front and center? Please share.

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A New Journey Begins

Aug03
2010 4 Comments Written by Steve

Wanted to give everyone an update on a post I made about a month ago, Life Changing Decisions. Short summary, I was at a cross-roads with making a decision on to retire or not. I made a decision – I am going to go ahead and  retire from Intel. Timing of when this will completely happen is yet to be finalized, but I have till 1/3/2011.

This was not an easy decision for many reasons. I have been working for Intel for over 28 years. During that time, I have grown up, learned a lot, raised my family, traveled to places I know I would not have traveled to and have met some amazing people. I have put in 28 years at one company. Something that in today’s world, just does not happen that often. I was 22 years old when I started, just out of college and was looking for some stability for me and my new family. I guess I found it.

For entertainment value, I thought I would put in the stuff that I will not miss…

  • Meetings, Meetings, Meetings and more meetings – I hate to count up the hours that were spent in meetings. Sometimes we had meetings to prep for meetings. Sometimes we had post meetings on the meetings. In order to get work done – you had to schedule a meeting with yourself on your calendar.
  • Email! I don’t know what has happened over the years, but email had become the number one way to communicate. Yes, it beat out meetings. Why? Because you usually got one to five emails around the meeting. The email’s I will not miss – did you get my voice mail (now our voice mails go to our inbox), those that come from the person that sits in the cube next to me,  reply to all blasts – asking to be removed from the distribution list and my all time favorite ones – an email asking if we can talk!
  • Processes… To say that I have seen an increase in processes over the years – that is an understatement. Some are completely necessary, I get that. Others, well let’s say some people have jobs because of them.

I will miss stuff as well, like:

  • The people! There are some amazing people that I have met, worked with and helped out over the years. Without them, I know I would not have had as much fun as I had. Would not have gotten much done by myself. Would have hated to sit in my cube – waiting for the next meeting or email.
  • Experiences and memories that I have. Even those that are not so good. They shape us into who we are.
  • My usual parking spot… I started in 1982 in the Chandler CH2 building.. Looks like I will end my time in Chandler CH2 building (I have had stops almost in every building in Chandler and some in Oregon). I joked when I came back to CH2 about 5 years ago, I started parking in the same spot in 1982. Well, maybe Intel can put up a marker on my parking spot!

I am excited and nervous about the journey that I am about to take. I am not going to stop working.. I just will be doing it somewhere else.

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My Challenge to a Better Working Life

Jun29
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Steve

I found this in some of my readings that just hit home. Six steps to a better working life! I have been spending much time at work – redefining my work habits and adding a few changes that I hope will have a very positive impact. When I read this post, I was completely in agreement. Point out the ways that I have attempted to change what I am doing.

1. Remember it’s your life—and therefore your choice about how you spend it.

With the times that we face today – this may seem very difficult, but you have to be happy doing what you are doing. Does that always mean that you have to leave what you are doing for a green pasture? Not really. You could attempt to change the way things are done! Work with that annoying co-worker to brighten up the day. Spend time with that jerk of a boss to share some of you thoughts on how things could get better. If that all fails, well – then maybe it is time. You tried! They failed! Maybe a good read for you is Escape From Cubicle Nation by Pamela Slim. I have read it, my journey is already begun.

2. Set aside some long periods of unbroken time for tasks that need concentration.

Here is another item that definitely has been a lost art. Busy lives are something that just is a way of life for most people. With technology today – being connected and busy is something that is just the way it is. How do you really get done the work that you need to get done? Multi-task and just put more hours in a day? Either way – you need to step back and make sure you have unbroken time of the Most Important Tasks. Maybe a good read for you is The Power of Less by Leo Babauta.

3. Include lengthy periods in your schedule for thinking and reflecting.

Treat them as ‘sacred’ times too, never to be disturbed if you can avoid it. You must take time to think and reflect. Quiet time in the mornings or evenings to get away and spend quality time away from distractions. If folks just don’t want to honor this – then get away and make the time. Go out of the office to get a cup of coffee or tea, sit in a park or whatever quiet spot you have – use it! I read the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey that pointed out this is a very solid first step to everything.

4. ‘Disconnect’ yourself regularly.

For years, I loved the always connected by either email, phone, wireless connection or whatever else is available to folks. Gave me the sense of importance (really it was the perception of importance). Getting disconnected regularly is very relaxing. I know folks that only look for vacations that have internet access and strong cell service – in order to get away. Is that truly getting away? Did you recharge that battery? I just to each is his/her own, but I think that disconnecting from time to time is not a bad thing. I turned in my business smart phone – to get away from the push email. I was definitely hooked on every spare moment – checking the email.

5. Avoid every meeting you can.

Ok, this one is a personal quest of mine! I am all for less is more, when it comes to meetings. I have looked at my schedule from time to time – and have said – when will I get work done? My projects or most important tasks – I do not have any time in the day to complete them.  Meetings – some are necessary; most are not! I wrote about this – in a past blog post! Ever just think that meetings are a very good way for the office politics to continue? I have learned to say No… If I do not see that I am going to add any value to the meeting or get anything from it – I decline.

6. Never, ever stop learning.

When you stop learning, you’re as good as dead mentally. There’s no excuse you can make for giving up on developing yourself. When I was going through school, college and early on in my career I hated to read. Reading is the easiest way to learn new things. I have read a lot over the past 5 years. I always have a book close by! I have my RSS filled with blog sites or learning sites that have been helpful to me over the years. For me, I have made this one a habit – that I don’t plan on changing for quite sometime.

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Ever Just Sit and Observe a Meeting?

May21
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Steve

If anyone knows my employer, they would understand this completely. Meetings are a way of life! We have meetings to have meetings.. We have a training on how to run an effective meeting. We even have a group of people that help other teams set up and run effective meetings. The amount of energy that is spent pre, during and post meeting – is huge. Being the careful observer that I like to be; I decided to just sit back and observe a meeting on my calendar, without participating, just listening.

Here is my simple observations from pre to post meeting! I hope you enjoy.

Pre Meeting:

  • Meeting request was sent out weeks in advance (awesome), within that notice all of the audio conferencing information was completed with the first notice the participate (normally a calendar hit comes out with no details, followed by an update with the details – causing your email to increase by one).
  • Agenda, purpose of the meeting and details – were all missing, the only clue that I had what this was about was the title of the meeting. Which was not very helpful. (Our training says to insure that this is done either in the notice or a link to the team site – not good).
  • Any pre work that I needed to do – was not given. So, I guess I just need to show up!

During the meeting:

  • Meeting chairperson – shows up 4 minutes late to their meeting. 12 total attendees were waiting on the call. (not good).
  • Roll call – who is on the call? Good practice to insure those that should be there are there. After everyone speaks up the chairperson is calling out the names of the people that failed to show up. 3 more folks! I guess he was hoping that by calling on them – they would somehow appear. We are now 10 minutes into the meeting!
  • Chairperson thanks everyone and starts the meeting by going over what we are going to cover in the meeting (now we have an agenda of sorts). He then asks for questions! Since this is an audio bridge it is definitely a good practice to give others time to ask questions. One question – what is the expected outcome of this meeting? Great question! Well, 15 minutes go by and we get our answer. Now 25 minutes into the meeting. Wow, an agenda and purpose of the meeting in the meeting notice – could have saved us 15 minutes.
  • Meeting continues for awhile, then all of sudden someone is talking on the bridge and it is not on the topic that we are discussing. In fact, it was on a personal matter between a manager and subordinate – and the discussion was getting a little heated. Everyone is trying to tell who ever it is to mute their microphone. After 5 minutes this person finally hears someone.
  • Meeting continues – and the chairperson had a question for one of the participants! Asked the question and we all sat listening to silence. Are you on mute? Then the wonderful, “sorry, I was on mute. Can you repeat your question?” I am thinking, dude – you just got caught multi-tasking and really were not paying attention.
  • 5 minute warning that the audio conference is ending comes on. Chairperson asks, “can folks stay on if we extend the bridge – I think it will take 10 minutes to close?” Simple answer from most folks was – sorry have another meeting at the top of the hour. (I wonder how many folks really did have a meeting at the top of the hour? That’s right, they probably do!) I felt like saying – that if we did not waste the first 25 minutes – we would have been done by now… But, thought better, I am just playing observer…
  • 1 minute warning comes on – and the chairperson is trying to cram as much words as humanly possible in those last 30 secs. Bridge goes dead!

Post Meeting:

  • No minutes sent (at least it has been 4 days already). Maybe this person writes up all their meeting notes on the weekend. I doubt that I will see anything.
  • For some folks, they were given an AR (action required – request) to do something. Well, no minutes – I bet those AR’s will get done, not!

I know from my training that I have received over the years on how to run an effective meeting that this was not one of them. Basic hints are:

  • Meeting logistic – everything included. Meeting place, time start, end,  audio information if needed, but most certainly the agenda and purpose of the meeting..
  • Start on time!
  • Roll call – quickly.
  • Meeting dialog – to the subject, focused and on time.
  • Participants – mute phones (know they are on mute); be there only. Multi-tasking will only mean that you are not truly paying attention.
  • Recap AR’s – with dates…
  • Send out minutes – within 24 hours (at the latest).
  • Follow-up on actions.

For me, I have attempted to make a habit that I will not accept a meeting request, that I do not get the agenda or purpose on. I have a very limited amount of time in the day, I have to be effective! Wasting my time in a waste of a meeting is not one of them.

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