Welcome to your October eZine.

Have you been in enough virtual meetings to last a lifetime? Many of us feel that way as we race from a 9:00 to a 10:00 to an 11:00 and so on. Often with no downtime or break between meetings. Some meetings seem worth it, others drain our time and energy. What makes the difference? The leader who knows how to foster engagement, efficiency and results.

Feelings of incompetence or of being less effective in leading meetings in the virtual environment are common. Many meeting leaders and participants although putting in the time feel frustration, inefficiency and fear for lost business opportunities. Setting and exceeding high expectations in meetings as a leader is important. The success of both the business and your own credibility is at stake in how meetings go. Not to mention as a leader during the pandemic, your meeting agenda has to be two fold. To equip your team to accomplish the tasks at hand but also to equip your team emotionally as we carry on in these very different times.

This month we bring you an edition chock full of resources to help you be more engaging and effective in all your meetings. Our article Tips for Leading Meetings points out many considerations for leaders. We also included an article for meeting participants for what you can do to add value to meetings you are in.

We have two videos on why meetings are unproductive and tools for how to offer suggestions to make them more effective or get your ideas heard.

And special this month we have a list of audible podcasts for you to listen to. These are 17 short quick audible tips to help you and your teams think about meeting challenges. Take a few minutes each day and tackle one with your team. They are great discussion starters.

Our audible Chapter from Your Invisible Toolbox is titled “Let’s Get Back To Work”. Meetings are our work but are too often they seen as a waste of time. This chapter points out why.

We are bringing back a favorite quiz to test your knowledge about what you know about virtual meetings now that we all are so much more experienced in them and we also include an inspirational quote.

October is a terrific month to tool up your interpersonal skills concerning meetings. For motivation we include a great clip from Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together Is Better, Find Your Why and The Infinite Game. He makes the case for interpersonal skills training in this short video clip.  We can all benefit from his call to action “Let us all choose to be the leaders we wish we had”.

Read, listen, learn, and enjoy. Since meetings are a primary source of results and interpersonal connection why not make the most of them?

Tero was included among the Best of in the Business Record’s Readers Poll again in 2020. Thank you to all of our clients, workshop participants, Tero graduates and everyone who voted for Tero International.  Thank  you for the confidence you've placed in Tero International for you professional development. In the category of Best Training and Development Company, Tero International has been named on the Best Of List by the Des Moines Business Record in their annual Reader's Poll every year since the category was introduced in 2007.

Want to get the most out of your virtual meetings?

Tero's newest workshop teaches you the important skills to a great online meeting. Learn how to align your virtual presence with your in-person professional presence,  how to have an effective online presence, the seven essential stages that all successful meetings incorporate and more. This workshop will improve your effectiveness and make you stand out in only 4 hours.

Save your seat for the November 13, 2020 Virtual Presence and Meeting Effectiveness Workshop.

Here's What's Happening at Tero International

What Do You Know About Virtual Meetings Quiz Explored Further:

1. Virtual meetings require more breaks and longer lunch times.

   True. People cannot take in information well if we do not provide breaks for them to refresh and also manage the other dynamics in their remote environment.
2. It is a good idea to send participants your slides ahead of the meeting so they have time to process them.
   False. Slides used should not be sent ahead as this can promote participants making assumptions about the meeting  and also reduces engagement in the meeting itself.
3. It is necessary to speak slower and condense content if delivering information virtually.
   True. In the virtual environment people will need more time to consider ideas and also condensed content. Too much content delivered too quickly will not be effective.
4. People are busy working from home, so start and end with only necessary agenda items.
   False. A meeting's purpose is to accomplish tasks but also engage participants and leave them feeling motivated and inspired. The agenda items are just one part of an effective meeting. 
5. It is imperative to engage participants in your meetings in some way when working through the agenda.
   True. The agenda items will be dealt with more effectively if participants have some kinesthetic way to work with them rather than simply discussing or listening.