The 9 Types of People Who Ruin a Meeting

The 9 Types of People Who Ruin a Meeting Meetings represent those snippets in our day where we have to sit and confront our deepest fear: social interaction. Steve Thompson, Managing Director of the marketing, analytics and digital recruitment agency Forward Role, highlights the importance of meetings in an organization: “Meetings can be useful, but we’ve all been in a meeting that’s been ruined by some bad habits. Whether it’s cutting people off mid-sentence, people twiddling their thumbs with their eyes on the clock or slurping down a late lunch, these habits â€" if left unchecked â€" can turn a good meeting into a bad one.” Hes picked out some of the worst offenders, with a few tips on how you can deal with them. 1. The late arrival Arriving “fashionably late” might work for parties, but in the world of business, your delayed entrance will only frustrate everyone involved. Late arrivers are creatures of habit, and â€" like the proverbial hare â€" they chronically underestimate how long it will take them to get from A to B. In dealing with a late arriver, do: Take a minute or two once the meeting has finished asking your late arriver why they’re late privately. If their excuse isn’t legitimate, challenge them with improving their punctuality, so it doesn’t impact others. Don’t: Do a quick recap on their behalf of what’s happened up to that point. No one sits through recaps on Netflix, so don’t force the other people in your meeting to do so either. 2. The phone checker Research shows that we touch our phones 2,617 times a day; phone checkers bring the total average up. In meetings, they’ll meet the minimum eye-contact quota before slowly succumbing to the allures of the world in their pocket, and before you know it, they’re four articles deep into Buzzfeed taking a quiz on how many types of bread they can name in three minutes. When dealing with a phone checker, do: Politely ask them to put their phone away. If their habit is particularly extreme, you could implement a “no phones in meetings” policy. Don’t: Confiscate the phone or complain about “kids these days”. That’s why no one liked Mr. Wilson at school. If you’re reading this, Mr. Wilson, I want my Nokia 3310 back. 3. The multi-tasker Everyone loves a hard worker. The problem is that hands-on individuals often fail to see the value of “sitting and talking”, no matter what the issue might be, and insist upon bringing their work along with them to the meeting. If you find yourself talking over the pitter-patter of laptop keys while you’re trying to explain the scope of a new marketing campaign, you might have a multi-tasker in the room. When dealing with a multi-tasker, do: Wait until after the meeting to ask them about their work. Do they have too much to do? Are the deadlines too tight? Help them figure out which meetings they can skip if they need to, but be clear that if they’re in a meeting, they need to be all in. Don’t: Try to shut their laptop on their fingers while they’re still typing. Even if you do it hard, it won’t be enough to stop them jabbing out a strongly worded email to HR. 4. The skeptic The skeptic or “Doubting Thomas” makes a regular appearance in essential boardroom brainstorms, with the sole aim of crushing ideas underfoot while failing to provide any viable alternatives. Skeptics often discourage others from speaking up for fear of being made to look stupid, which means they need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. When dealing with a skeptic, do: Ask that everyone bring at least a few ideas to the meeting in preparation. This will help ensure skeptics have to contribute something to the meeting and encourage them to suspend judgment. Don’t: Put on a silly voice and mimic them whenever they criticise anything. 5. The conversationalist Conversationalists are friendly people that suffer from one fatal flaw: they talk much more than they listen. They’ll dip between their conversation and the wider one when it suits them, failing to realize that there’s even a meeting happening. They would probably bring along a few beers if it were socially acceptable to do so. When dealing with a conversationalist, do: Set the tone by going around the room and asking for the input of each person one by one. By having just one person speak at a time, conversationalists are more exposed and get policed by their peers. Don’t: Ask them if they would like to run the meeting thinking that it’s a punishment for them. It’s not â€" they’ll probably take you up on it. 6. The font of all knowledge They’ve done their research. They’re passionate about what’s being discussed. On the surface, the font of all knowledge is the person you want at every single meeting you have. The only problem? Fonts don’t see the need for letting others add anything, because they’ve already thought of everything themselves. They’ll probably get to that idea eventually if you’d just, you know, let them keep talking, ideally for the whole meeting and maybe even when the meeting has finished and everyone is looking at their watches and oh gosh it’s lunchtime already, but Brian is still talking. In dealing with a font of all knowledge, do: Thank them for their idea (they’ll be the first to share) and quickly direct a question at another participant in the meeting. Don’t: Yell “BORING!” while they’re mid-sentence. 7. The interrupter Interrupters aren’t malicious: most often, they simply lack the self-awareness needed to prevent them from saying “What do you mean by that, exactly? Interrupters often bring good ideas along with them and, unlike skeptics, tend to challenge ideas in order to improve them rather than to assert their authority. But all that interruption breaks the flow of the conversation and doesn’t allow people to reach the end of their thought before being â€" “I’m just trying to get a scope of what you’re saying, here.… cut off. When dealing with an interrupter, do: Orchestrate the meeting so that there are regular times in which questions about a thought or a proposal can be raised. For example, let one person in the meeting communicate an idea, and then ask “Does anyone have any questions about that?” Interrupters will jump right in there, allowing them to use their critiquing ability for good. Don’t: Deliberately interrupt them when they’re speaking. They’ll probably interrupt you back, and then you have to shout over each other to save face, and that’s just awkward. 8. The human statue Human statues subscribe to the Jurassic Park school of meeting etiquette: “Don’t move! They can’t see me if I don’t move.” Though they don’t appear to be doing any harm, human statues are among the most dangerous characters to have in a meeting because they encourage passivity in others. When dealing with a human statue, do: Approach them before the meeting and let them know that you’ll be asking them for input in the discussion. That way, you dispel the “what if” factor â€" they know for sure they’ll be picked, and should come prepared to speak up. Don’t: Inform them that T-rexes actually had good vision and that keeping still wouldn’t save them in a life-and-death scenario. 9. The gastronomist Fresh coriander, smoked paprika, melted cheese, roasted chorizo These are all smells that you’d love to catch a whiff of in your favorite restaurant, but in the boardroom, it’s a little distracting. Nevertheless, gastronomists will bring along their little gourmet lunch boxes and proceed to noisily devour their meal while you try to explain why conversion rates are down for the third month in a row. When dealing with a gastronomist, do: Check their schedule. If they physically have no time in their day for lunch, you should work with them to clear their diaries of less essential meetings to give them some “me time” to enjoy their Tupperware-packed duck confit with rosemary and thyme. Don’t: Try to one-up them with a pan-seared filet mignon and a nicely paired Chianti. About the author:  Steve Thompson, is the Managing Director of digital marketing recruitment specialists Forward Role Recruitment.

Working With Resume Writing Services

Working With Resume Writing ServicesResume writing services Albany NY are very important in terms of getting a job. You need to be able to go into the interview ready, but most importantly you want your resume to stand out above all others. Whether you are applying for a summer job, a permanent position or just a new entry level position you want your resume to stand out above the rest.The problem is that with so many resumes out there that some of them don't have a chance to be seen by the hiring manager. They were left on the pile or sent back to the company that sent them to them. This is an unfortunate fact of the business world. Some of the resumes that end up there were written by the person who was interviewing you and they simply didn't think the candidate had what it took to do the job.This is not good for anyone in a position where the candidate has a job offer because it means that the resume will have a very low chance of being read by the hiring manager. The better resum e writing services around will make sure that their candidates have a great chance at being read by the hiring manager. These types of services will also help to create the resume for you and write a cover letter to go along with it.If you have ever gotten a call from your boss at work letting you know that you can't come in for an upcoming project because you haven't been able to create the necessary documents, then you know the importance of having your resume done by a professional. When you hire a professional resume writing service, it is like you are hiring an experienced salesperson to walk you through the process. They will walk you through the creation of the resume and the subsequent steps involved in creating a cover letter to ensure that it gets read by the hiring manager.If you have not been able to create the documents yourself and you are unsure how to go about it then missusresume.com offers services that can help you. The online resume services can help you create y our resume by using templates that are already ready to go and some templates that can be customized to meet your needs. The missusresume.com resume services have software that is included in the initial download that can help you create a fantastic resume that can be customized for you.The resume service that you choose should also help you to find a few local businesses that offer resume services and can help you find one that you would like to work with. The resume writing services that are available online should include several free options, but the great part is that they should offer additional services as well. You want to be able to get the best service for your money.You can find a number of reputable resume writing services online at missusresume.com. They will even have samples that can help you create a great resume for your business. Most of the services that are offered online have unlimited access to the applications and are able to set up your resume for you in a ma tter of minutes.When you work with missusresume.com you will find that they have the most wide ranging job titles, positions and industries in their list of clients. There are also resume templates that can be customized to meet your needs. You can have a professional resume created quickly and easily with a resume writing service.

Getting Laid Off Expect These Four Stages

Getting Laid Off Expect These Four Stages Todays guest post comes from Gwen Hill. Fiscal year end has come and gone. And it seems to have taken a lot of jobs along with itmine included. Weve all heard about the stages of grief, but what do those look like when we apply them to the loss of a job? Heres my take on it. Stage One: Panic The Caution: No. Big. Decisions. Seriously, do not sign that contract. Put the pen down. Put it down. Good. Honestly, if you were still in this stage, you likely wouldnt be reading this article. This is one of those things that just lasts as long as it does, and it comes and goes in waves. You can still have intelligent thought and plan for the future during this time, but its important that you do not make any decisions. Youre not at your best in Stage One, and youre liable to do something youll regret. Think of it as a roller coaster, and youre at the very top of the first drop: your stomach is in your throat and youre white-knuckling the handlebar. Does this feel like a time when youre really, really clever? Stage Two: Anger The Caution: Go ahead and be angry at home, but know your audience this is not the right time to write letters to the President or CEO, or to post a long rant on Facebook. I didnt spend time in this stage, because its not personal. This is a good place to try to find some objectivity. If youve been laid off and not fired, the odds are good that this layoff has nothing to do with you. Budget cuts or organizational restructuring come down from an executive level of people who likely dont know who you are or how important your work may be. If they do know you personally, odds are that they feel quite badly about this whole thing. And while I understand wanting to think that the whole place will fall apart after you leave… well. If one persons departure will destroy the entire department, then it likely wasnt a great place to work in the first place. Consider Stage Two to be the worst part of the roller coaster. Youre being spun around and corkscrewed (no pun intended) and you have very little control. Once you figure out that most of the anger comes from frustration, things will even out a bit. Stage Three: Acceptance The Caution: Stages One and Two can still rear their ugly heads on occasion, generally around 2am. Take deep breaths. It will pass. Ahh, this is a nice stage. You have realized that you are, in fact, more employable than you used to be, because you have gained skills that are applicable to the world outside. The exit is in sight. The light at the end of the tunnel is not, in fact, an oncoming train. This is where the roller coaster has led you so that you can remove the bar, stand up, and get off the ride. Sure, your legs are shaking, and sure, you feel utterly wrung out, but you got here. Because you are an impressive human. And that leads us to the most important stage. Stage Four: Seizing Opportunity The Caution: What caution? Youre a rock star! But maybe make sure that you can still pay your mortgage. Mitigate your risks. This is how youre going to turn a lousy situation into a fantastic turning point. What do you want out of a job? What are your options? Is it going to be more of the same sort of work for you, or is it time for a change? What were you not getting from this job, that you might find elsewhere? This is where you stop looking at a layoff as a horrible thing that has happened to you, and you start looking at it as a change that you can own. That gives you back some power and control, and thats where we find the best moments of growth. Make a list of the skills you have, and the ones you want to grow. Figure out what you need in your life, from a financial and support standpoint, and make a plan to get it. Find a way to grow the skills you want, and seek out jobs that match your wish list. Youre off the ride now, down the stairs and facing the rest of the park: make sure that you walk in the right direction. Beyond The Four Stages One last thing: unless this is a scramble on the part of the executive, you probably have a few weeks left in your job. My advice: do not check out. This will be more difficult for some than others, but the very human truth is that its hard to remain committed to a project of which you likely wont see the final outcome. Commit yourself to ensuring that the work you did will continue once youre gone. Work with your coworkers and managers to figure out how to hand off your projects and tasks, and leave positive feelings behind you when you go. (This can be summarized by the phrase be a grown up.) Me? Im going to take some time. Ive picked up a couple of contracts and workshops, Ive got a novel to finish, and Im going to focus on some other writing. What about you? If this came up in your life, right now, what would you do? About the Author:  Gwen Hill is a writer, pilot and lifelong learner. She is passionate about meaningful engagement and the importance of thriving in the workplace. You can connect with her on Twitter.