Editorial Features

Don’t forget many of the excellent dedicated management training centres and residential conference centres around the country automatically include syndicates, a/v equipment, unlimited tea and coffee, etc. so you won’t even need to ask!

√ Know how attractive a particular piece of business is to the venue

Be aware of what the slower periods are for many hotels and other conference venues, as they will have more flexibility on rates. For example, the key low times are: Weekends Mondays and Fridays Mid-December to mid-January Mid-July to early September Any week following a bank holiday

There will, of course, be exceptions to the above, particularly if the venue is in a location not primarily reliant on corporate and/or conference business. But if you have any flexibility on when your event takes place, do keep the above in mind.

√ Short notice gold dust

If you have business for the next two, three or even four weeks, be aware of how much venues will want that business, because by then they will have a pretty good idea of how busy they are going to be over that period. So be ruthless, be shrewd, be bold and get those rates down!

√ Make your conference agency work for you

You could forget needing to remember all of these tips by ensuring your conference agency is asking the same questions. Be under no misapprehension – we are here to ensure our clients do not pay a penny more than they need to. We are inundated with special offers from venues, we know hotel rates inside out, we know how to get the best rates possible and we know how attractive a piece of business is to venues.

And it’s a free service. And we save oodles of your time by doing all the work. And we can book any venue anywhere. And so on and so on.

We are on your side SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

And if you haven’t got a conference agency, for goodness sake get one. They can save you a lot of effort (because they do all the work) and money (see above) and eliminate the risks involved in booking venues you don’t know, because their venue knowledge should be top notch (OR YOU HAVEN’T GOT THE RIGHT AGENCY).

Let us prove how much we can save you by following the tips above and by taking advantage of the excellent rates currently available (see our Promotional Offers flyer for the deals we can get for you from the main hotel groups) and at every conference venue throughout the country.

For more information or for a no obligation venue search for your next event, telephone 01420 561165, e-mail info@completeeventsolutions.com check out our website www.completeeventsolutions.com or click here for more information. We look forward to working with you. .

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What would Barack Obama do?

by James Sweetman of James Sweetman Associates - Business and Personal Coaching

Like me, I’m sure you watched Barack Obama’s inauguration as US President on January 20th. For me he is a source of inspiration. I feel better about myself when I listen to him, a sign of a true leader. Recently, when faced with challenging decisions, or at times when I’m feeling nervous, I find myself asking ‘what would Barack Obama do if he was in my shoes?’ Such a question is a great way of accessing our inner wisdom.

Having followed Obama's journey to the presidency there are many business and personal lessons we can learn from him.

Be your own Brand

When many people think of Barack Obama, the first two words that come to mind are ‘hope’ and ‘change.’ Brands don’t just apply to businesses or politicians. Like reputations we all have one. What is your brand? What do you stand for? What is the experience you want people to have when they interact with you? Either you define your brand or your brand defines you!

Positive Thinking: Yes We Can

‘Yes we can’ was Obama’s rallying call. It is such an empowering statement. ‘Yes’ –positive, ‘we’ – inclusive, ‘can’- ability. What would your business or indeed life be like if the ‘yes we can’ attitude took precedent over the ‘No I can’t.’ An enriched life and an empowered business is based on saying ‘yes’ more times than you say ‘no.’ Simple but true.

Inspiring others by being yourself

Barack Obama relates to people on a human level. He does not talk down to or preach at his audience. You get the impression that he speaks to the porter in the same way as he speaks to Prime Ministers. When he speaks, you feel like he is talking to you. You can relate to him. He is a natural at creating rapport with people and one of the reasons he is so effective at this, is that he is in rapport with himself. He is not trying to be someone he is not. Charisma is another way of describing this and my definition of charisma is public self acceptance.

Have a vision and communicate it clearly and repeatedly

Obama has a vision for the future and is able to communicate that vision effectively. He cannot achieve everything by himself, but by inspiring others to get involved, to volunteer their energy and enthusiasm, momentum is generated. What is your vision for your life or for your business? A simple way to start is to answer the question ‘what do you want?’

Being and Doing your Best

Barack Obama has been accused of being an elitist. He is intelligent, well-educated and travelled and he is also able to connect with the man on the street. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but so often we spend far too much time focusing on our weaknesses, ignoring our strengths. Similarly, we can be less than we think we are capable of, for fear of making other people uncomfortable.

During the presidential campaign the media hounded Obama for a comment on the news that Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter was pregnant. Obama could have scored political points, but his response was simple and dignified –‘my mother had me when she was 18.’ This highlighted the nobility of taking the magnanimous path over the petty one. You may not always win in choosing to be the ‘bigger’ person, but you will certainly never lose. Dignity can be a rare quality, but its scarcity only raises its value and helps to solidify your reputation.

Here are two more business lessons we can learn from Obama.

Embrace technology

Obama wasn’t the first president to capitalise on technology. JFK was the first to harness the power of television. Utilising the internet and the concept of social networking, Obama connected with millions. Technology develops ever more rapidly and there is no end point. As a business owner or manager you can no longer leave technological matters to the IT guy. At minimum you need to have sufficient knowledge to ask the question ‘what can technology do for me and my business?

Recruit people who are better than you

The presidency is too big a role for one man; like all managers, Obama’s success is tied to the people he recruits. Successful managers keep their inner circle populated by people whose skills and intelligence can serve and benefit them, people who professionally complement their own skill set. We are only ever as good as our weakest link on their worst day!

Barack Obama represents a new type of leader, one who embraces change, attacks old problems with bold new solutions, and recognises that leadership is as much about listening and collaborating with people as it is about making tough decisions. The overwhelmingly positive response to Obama’s leadership style is also a reflection of our desire to have leaders who are inclusive, socially aware, transparent and honest.

In a time of economic crisis we can continue doing what we’ve always done and hope for the best. Or we can draw from the leadership lessons of Barack Obama and increase our chances of winning against the odds.

James Sweetman is a Business and Personal Coach based in Dublin, specialising in assisting individuals and firms to be more effective at what they do. For more information contact James directly at 00 353 (0) 87 2492774

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Keeping your business healthy in a recession

by Rick Pullan, Director - TBDA

You’ve heard the phrase when the going gets tough the tough get going. It’s particularly like that in business… these are tough times we’re now in and it’s going to be like this for a while, probably 2-3 years. So how you can help keep the business ticking over, even thriving? All business is about serving customers and serving them well. If you don’t you haven’t got any sales. If you don’t they might go elsewhere… to one of your competitors. Every one in the business has a role in keeping customers happy, and there are lots of common sense things you can do to help market your business through these tough times.

They’re encapsulated in our programme called smartermarketing. Its in 3 stages, the 1st a common sense formula, the 2nd a 6 step plan to implement the formula, the 3rd about how to treat people that are important to the business. Business is about turning customers on and managing relationships with them. That is not just the job of the marketing department, it’s the job of each manager and their teams. But it helps if these managers and their teams know about where their role fits into how the business keeps current customers interested and engaged, even build their loyalty, and how best to attract new customers. In essence that is what your business is about, and if all employees understand this better, your business will be better.

Some of you might be thinking this is not part of my job, it’s no point talking to me about marketing, it’s nothing to do with me. In fact lots of companies don’t have marketing departments, yet they’re successful. They might have sales, customer service or commercial staff, fine… in reality they’ve got the right marketing attitude. Marketing is not just the job of the marketing people, if you have any, or the sales staff. Everybody in the business, from the CEO to the receptionist, accounts, call centre, factory, the post room, and particularly IT need to know about the common business sense of customer satisfaction through smartermarketing.

Most people don’t understand what marketing is anyway - all they think is that it’s advertising and PRy stuff and that it’s not their job. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Marketing is about understanding what your customer wants and giving it to them… through a set of procedures that deliver a sustainable profit to the organisation so that it can pay the people that work there, research ways of improving the products, reward the shareholders for their investment in the business, and pay some tax to help run the country.

Don’t say it’s not my job, smartermarketing is an attitude of mind, a way of conducting business, a way of interacting with people. If any business prevents its staff from thinking like marketers / entrepreneurs they’re heading for trouble. A lot of the reason we’re in the financial mess we’re in is down to poor management of customers. You’ve heard the expression a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The weakest link is the person who hasn’t got the right attitude. You won’t be like that if you adopt the smartermarketing attitude. It works and it’s proven because it’s based on good, bad and ugly experience, which has been distilled into a common sense smarterthinking mantra.

We’ve kept it simple, easy to memorise, easy to use to influence other members of the team. It’s just a small business expense, the cost of a tank of fuel or business lunch.

Buy it, read it, do it, learn it, pass it on, do it again, repeat.

You can find out more about Smartermarketing by going to www.smartermarketing.co.uk

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Getting the Networking Know How

by Georgie Dutton, Editor of EUMA UK e-zine Impetus

Networking is not dissimilar to a blind date: you arrive apprehensively hoping the other person will be friendly, conversation won't falter, and that you will appear interesting and likeable with both parties wanting to meet again. The good news is that networking isn't as tricky as dating and by following a few simple tips and being yourself; you can become an effective and consummate networker.

Basically, networking is about "meeting with people, building rapport [and] sharing ideas," says Maureen Fearon, a life coach and trainer with AMF Consultancies (www.amfconsultancies.com). It's not about working the room collecting business cards. Rather, it's about making a personal connection, says Sue Tonks from the company Kintish (www.kintish.co.uk). "There are 3 pillars on which all business rests - know, like and trust. These are vital ingredients for longstanding business relations...People buy other people before they buy a service or product."

Women are natural networkers without often realising it; from talking with other mums at the school gates to chatting to the cashier at the checkout. Lack of confidence together with a reticence to actively seek networking opportunities can make attending such events appear daunting. Yet, networking can increase your social circle, boost self-confidence and even enhance your career prospects.

Traditionally, men have been more successful networkers - from boardroom to club house, but with the proliferation of female networking groups, there are now greater opportunities available for women to gain valuable contacts, increase skills and knowledge whilst networking with their peers. This is of particular benefit for those returning to the workplace following a career break, who can sometimes find themselves left behind in the promotion stakes or seen as out of touch with new developments.

Likewise, for new entrants or those looking to re-train, gaining a foothold in some industries can be notoriously difficult. In such cases, attending networking events are essential - not least to learn about forthcoming (and often unadvertised) vacancies. Nevertheless, making the most of networking opportunities requires moving out of your comfort zone. By not networking, you effectively reduce your chances of making some useful contacts. And if people don't know about you, they can't help you.

• Arriving on your own can be intimidating even for the most socially confident, so a quick visit to the ladies beforehand can help gather your thoughts and composure says Sue.
• When you walk into a room, pause and smile whilst looking around. Look for someone on their own and ask permission to join them.
• If you arrive with a colleague or friend, don't stand with them all night talking in a corner - mingle.
• o get the most out of the experience, think about what you will say when asked who you are, and what you do. But don't try and work the room or treat it as a sales activity says Maureen. "Relax; enjoy getting to know someone and building rapport. Don't expect it all in your first meeting - it takes time. Practice how you tell people what your business does and be clear on what you would like from networkers".
• Always extend your hand when introducing yourself and state your name, says Sue using the 'pause and effect' technique. Say your first name, pause, then say your full name but more slowly. And don't forget to use eye contact and smile!
• Careful when shaking hands - bone-crushing or limp handshakes are a definite no-no.
• When the other person says their name, listen, repeat it and use it! Name badges are best placed on the right hand side so that other people can read them easily advises Sue
• Focus on the other person rather than worrying about how you come across. The best networkers ask open questions, show interest and listen.
• Wear clothes that you like, look good in and above all are comfortable. Ensure you have crisp clean business cards at the ready says Sue - saves searching at the bottom of your handbag.
• Watch the body language when approaching groups warns Sue. Open group formations make it easier to join a new group whereas if 2 people are deep in conversation best stay clear.
• If a new person joins your group, take the initiative and make the introductions, advises Sue. This makes the new person feel welcome and part of the group whilst you gain brownie points for having remembered everyone's name.
• Taking your leave doesn't mean dumping the other person on their own. Better to join up with another group and leave once the person has integrated into the new group.
• Networking in a predominately male environment requires a slightly different set of skills. Men are more active networkers, says Maureen and have more useful contacts. "But you have to remember that men are different to women. Women will come up with and offer ideas on how to help ... you have to spell it out to a guy - men respond better to direct questions ... and they do like to help. So plan what you are going to say to them", advises Maureen.
• Networking doesn't stop once the event is over - following up contacts is crucial. Keep in regular contact by phone or email, and if you have promised to send them information, do so immediately after the event.

Like everything else, practice makes perfect and the more you network, the greater enjoyment and satisfaction you will gain - and who knows, it just might change your life!

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by Paul Pennant, Managing Director, PDP Associates

Nightmare on Lime Street
It's your boss on the phone: 'I'd like you to sit in on this budget meeting next week; could be useful - oh, and by the way - could you knock up an agenda and take the minutes? I'll need an actions summary out to everyone before the end of the day as well. Thanks.'

You put down the phone with a sinking heart. Yet another meeting - on a subject you thought was done and dusted. And now you've got to come up with an agenda that doesn't put everyone off by looking like 'The ten most boring things to do before you die'. Then you've got to sit through the meeting, which will be full of blah-blah about stuff you don't really understand and couldn't care less about - but still look really perky and interested.

To round things off, you've also got to produce meaningful minutes and get them out to all concerned the same day. The last one of these meetings went on until 5 o'clock and you were still trying to make sense of the minutes and type them up at 6, then you were late home, really exhausted, and found your partner in bed with someone else - you know, like that scene in Sliding Doors? Ok, I made that last bit up, but it felt like that kind of day, didn't it?

Sound horribly familiar? I know it does, because it's happened to me (including the last bit - oh alright, not really, but I got you going, didn't I) and I want to tell you there is a better way. I can't always help you enjoy meetings more, because the content is out of my hands, but it is possible to get a lot more out of them. It's also possible to manage meetings, even if you're not actually running them, so they don't drag on longer than necessary. Finally, it is possible to get out of the office sooner than expected, with your immaculate, crystal-clear minutes winging their way across the email system to all and sundry. Thanks to you, there will be no doubt in anyone's mind who's got to take what follow-up action and by when. Result: boss delighted. Your career: still right on course for the stratosphere.

Keep it Simple, Keep it Real
Despite Galbraith's assertion that "Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything", they do have a genuine purpose: bringing people together to make decisions and agree future actions. So, how do you take the fear and loathing out of managing meetings and taking minutes? Most people who come on our minute-writing courses are petrified at the thought of having to take minutes, but it doesn't have to be like that: simplicity is the key. Much of the time, it's fair to say that logging the decisions taken or actions to be followed up is enough and that's pretty straightforward. If it takes two hours to agree on a new coffee machine, there is no need to document the entire discussion! If an organisation feels it needs a verbatim record of a meeting, then perhaps it should be videoed!

On the other hand, if the subject was something sensitive, like staff reductions, then more detail would be appropriate. In the same spirit of keeping things simple, there is usually no need to name names in minutes, which after all are about collective responsibility and decision-making.

There's a New Kid in Town
Believe it or not, after the person chairing the meeting, the minute taker is the most important person present, by virtue of the importance of their role in recording what was discussed and decided accurately. If you are taking the minutes, then you have a right to speak out, in order to clarify a point you may not have heard clearly; it's in your own interests to do so. The days of the minute taker being a silent stenographer, at the mercy of a domineering chairman, should be long gone. And if they're still that way in your organisation, then you might need professional help!

To preserve anonymity - and emphasise the collective responsibility of the meeting - minutes should be written up in what is known grammatically as the passive voice, so rather than 'Ms Smith agreed to make funds available' it should be 'It was agreed that funds should be made available'.

Strange but true: troublemakers in meetings tend to sit opposite the chairman (male or female). These are confrontational types, so mark them and be ready to disarm them. If you have a good relationship with the person chairing the meeting, it will pay you dividends. Properly trained - by you - the meeting chairman will halt proceedings at your request and itemise key points to be recorded - remember: you're not a stenographer or a mind-reader, and if you're a PA, then you're not just a secretary, either!

Be Sure to Finish Your Homework

When you're putting things in place for the meeting: agenda, venue, refreshments, AV and so on, make sure you also block out some time to get the minutes written up afterwards. It might sound odd, but if you can find a place away from your desk, where you can use a PC without distraction, you'll find you can whip through the minutes and be out the door more or less on time for a change. By and large, companies get the minutes they deserve and if they don't support you when you're carrying out this important task, then they deserve the minutes they get!

No Hidden Agendas
Let's get explicit: most meeting agendas are woefully light on detail and the resulting meetings can be vague and wander off-track. Let attendees know exactly what's going to be covered and they will come better prepared and the meeting will be clearer, more productive - and shorter! If there's going to be a lot of technical jargon involved, why not get an expert colleague to help you make a short list of keywords, with their spellings and potted explanations, in advance of the meeting? The same goes for acronyms: the CEO of Xircom, manufacturer of PCMCIA cards for laptop computers, liked to joke that PCMCIA didn't really stand for Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, but 'People Can't Memorise Complex Industrial Acronyms'. How right he was!

Work the room: check the room layout before the meeting starts. You don't need to be a feng shui consultant, but making some simple changes to the layout of the room can help meetings go with a swing.

Sharper Minutes for a Sharper You
Effective minute writing is critical to every PA - and indeed anyone who works in an office. The economy of style and directness of thought that minute-writing dictates, applies equally well to all kinds of writing work, so ensuring your minute-writing skills are honed and polished will always stand you in good stead - and make you look good, too. With greater confidence in your abilities, you will change from being a passive observer and recorder of meetings, to an active and valued participant. And who knows, you might even start enjoying them?

About the author:

Paul Pennant has been a highly-successful PA and Office Manager and is now Managing Director of PDP Associates. With a post-graduate degree in business studies, few if any trainers are better qualified to deliver and lead training workshops for today's PAs.

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