Professional Communication: The Corporate Insider’s Approach Chapter Eight One-on-One and Group Meetings—Making the Human Moment Purposeful

Importance of Personal Interactions Top Competencies in Hiring Oral communication Self-motivation Problem solving Leadership Human relations

Top Oral/Interpersonal Competencies Listens effectively Uses telephone effectively Maintains eye contact Asks appropriate questions Uses voice effectively for emphasis Uses appropriate tone of voice

Most Common Skills The three most common oral communication skills in business are: Listening skills Conversational skills Following instructions

Areas of Activity The three primary areas of oral communication activity in business are Direct, one-on-one interactions Meetings Formal presentations

60% to 80% of business communication is done face to face

One-on-One Business Discussions Seven types of information commonly shared: Technical information Referent information Social information Appraisal information Normative information Organizational information Political information

Conditions for One-on-One Promote one-on-one interaction when A transmitted message will not convey the richness of the communication A transmitted message will not convey the complete picture

Face Time For successful face-to-face exchanges to happen, participants must Face up to the moment Be engaged Avoid hiding out

Conditions for Face-to-Face Meet face-to-face when the information or situation Has a unique sensitivity Demands attention and responsiveness Demands a clear interpretation of the attitudes and intentions Needs to be amplified by visual cues Demands immediate visual feedback

Stay Engaged Don’t keep glancing at your watch Put beepers on vibrate; turn cell phones off Avoid potential interruptions Maintain eye contact Keep the focus Cover essential topics Make notes on follow-up Conclude with a summary and thank you

Face-to-Face Interaction Humanistic Interactor Informal Developer Formal Controller Increasing Degree of Communication Mechanistic Isolate Increasing Degree of Interaction (Source: Luthans and Larsen)

Chairing a Business Meeting Unite the group Focus the group Mobilize the group

Primary Demands of Meetings Meetings must be purposeful The performance of meeting participants must be aligned with the end goal The meeting must always maintain a precise focus on the assigned purpose

Three Good Reasons Three good reasons for a business meeting: To create a forum To make decisions To build a team

Meetings—The Lessons Hold meetings only for a valid purpose Establish the precise purpose Invite only essential people Tailor administrative controls to the team, purpose, and circumstance Make your voice heard Represent yourself and your organization Monitor your performance Maintain focus on the true purpose