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Category: Meetings

Etiquette rules for the modern age

Having good manners today is less about using the right fork, and more about showing consideration toward others. Why? Most people won’t notice if you use the wrong fork. But they will notice if you show disrespect toward their time or talent. Ways to show respect for others:

When confused at a meeting, butt in

Speaking up in meetings to ask for clarification can be intimidating. But it’s best to summon the courage, especially if you’re the one taking formal minutes or notes. Having a few useful phrases in hand can give you the confidence you need to speak up:

Stock a room to improve brainstorming

Staffers at design firm Ideo spit out hundreds of new ideas every day—including the ideas for the Apple mouse and the stand-up toothpaste squeeze tube. So if anyone knows how to conduct a brainstorming session, it’s Ideo. One thing that’s evident from looking into one of their conference rooms: You’ve got to get the space right.

1-Minute Strategies: Dec. ’10

If you’ve received an invitation to a party at your boss’s home, yes, you do have to RSVP, attend, dress appropriately, mingle and send a thank-you note afterward, says Barbara Pachter, a leading expert in business etiquette and communications. And turn off your cell phone!

Most meetings end with indecision

Not surprisingly, 85% of executives are dissatisfied with the efficiency and effectiveness of their companies’ meetings, reports Harvard Business Review. Here are two ways to help drive better decision-making during a meeting—and boost your boss’s efficiency:

How to take smart meeting notes

Some of the most successful businesspeople, such as Bill Gates, are known for taking detailed, effective meeting notes. Gina Trapani, a technology writer and software developer, recently shared three different note-taking systems in Fast Company:

Ask 5 questions before every meeting

Communications strategist Miri McDonald thinks unproductive meetings should be banned. And when a meeting is needed, it should be both productive and fun. She believes in thinking through every aspect of a meeting in advance—everything from the relationships between attendees to which open-ended questions will get a conversation going.