Drawing up a meeting plan. Meeting plan

Below are seven tips for meeting organizers (as well as for the leaders whose initiative the meeting is being held and whose vision the organizer must implement):

1. First of all, it is necessary to formulate in advance the topic, purpose and objectives of the meeting, as well as the specific desired “product” (result) that will be obtained as a result.

The “product” of the meeting can be a management decision, a plan for a certain period of activity, an approved report, a resolution, etc., drawn up in writing in accordance with the document flow rules adopted in the organization.

2. Decide on the date, time and location of the meeting. With scheduled meetings, everything is simple - they are usually held with a certain frequency on the same days of the week, at the same time (for example, every first Thursday of every month at 16.00). As a rule, employees whose participation in these meetings is required include the scheduled meeting in their work schedule in advance, and therefore no problems arise in its implementation.

The situation is somewhat more complicated with unscheduled meetings, when there is an urgent need to bring together the required number of participants. In this case, determining the most suitable date, time and location for the meeting to ensure a “quorum” becomes a real headache for the organizers. I would like to say right away that there are no ideal situations when it is possible to “please” all potential participants. Therefore, no matter how harsh it sounds, the date, time and location of an unscheduled meeting are chosen based on their convenience for the organizers (and not the participants). Holding unscheduled meetings also obliges the manager (organizer) to be more loyal to those employees who, for various reasons, were unable to take part in it.

3. Decide what the optimal composition and number of participants will be (see section 6.14): Who will be the active participant (speaker) and who will be the listener? Who should prepare in advance? Who will be from among the organization’s employees, and who will be invited from outside? Who needs to be officially invited in advance (send an invitation)?

6.16. Planning and preparing meetings

4. Consider possible roles for participants and, if necessary, teamwork. If necessary, discuss these roles with relevant participants. Together with the manager, it is imperative to select (appoint) an employee to the main role - leading the meeting and inform him about this in advance.

We can also add that with a creative approach to meetings (especially the second type, see

Section 6.14) it is possible to distribute socio-psychological roles between participants, such as “idea generator”, “critic”, “erudite”, etc. The introduction of such role positions into the work will contribute to a deeper and better understanding of the issues discussed, and will make the meeting procedure itself more alive.

5. Think over the agenda and rules of the meeting. In what order do the performances take place? How much time does it take for each? etc. Discuss the agenda and rules of the future meeting with interested parties, primarily with the meeting leader (see section 6.15).

6. It is possible that in order to actually prepare the meeting, the organizer will need additional authority and resources, which he will have to receive from the manager during the preparation and holding of the meeting.

7. The organizer must prepare in advance a package of documents for the meeting, which includes:

1) official invitations, which indicate the topic, time and place of the meeting;

2) list of participants (with mandatory indication of the organizer, moderator, and secretary of the meeting);

3) agenda, including the purpose and objectives of the meeting, list of reports and open issues;

4) if necessary, minutes of past meetings;

5) if necessary, supporting documentation that may be needed for discussion and decision-making;

6) if necessary, presentation materials (“handouts”) of speakers;

7) if the organization exists, then standard forms for keeping minutes of the meeting.

c% Compliance with which of the listed rules for organizing meetings C gives, in your opinion, the greatest time savings when holding a meeting?

Chapter 6. Ways to increase personal effectiveness

Which of the following rules are observed (and which are not observed) in your organization? Does your organization have its own rules (traditions) for organizing meetings? Which of these rules speed up and which slow down meetings?

What do you think needs to change first so that meetings in your organization eat up less time? Formulate your proposal as a rule.

More on topic 6.16. PLANNING AND PREPARING MEETINGS:

1. What are the tasks of the secretary in preparing various meetings?
2. § 1. Features of the preparation and adoption of the Russian Constitution. Constitutional Commission and Constitutional Conference

• Preparing the meeting
• Start of the meeting
• Organizing a discussion
• End of the meeting
• Trouble in meetings

Meetings are used to exchange ideas, opinions, and intellectual capabilities between management and staff. But meetings can also be ineffective, useless, and negatively impact the work process. If you know how to conduct a meeting correctly, then it will be more successful.

A lot depends on the meeting. During the planning meeting, staff report on their actions, and management sets future goals. Effective meetings are used as feedback from staff. However, the main goal of the meeting should be to increase the productivity of the work process for both the individual employee and the entire company. There are a number of mechanisms that affect the efficiency of an enterprise that need to be put into operation:

• The principle of synergy. The synergy effect is the advantage of the whole compared to the sum of the individual parts. and modern psychology has long used this principle. But it appeared quite a long time ago, even in old proverbs we can see the effect of the synergy effect - “one head is good, but two are better.” This principle often demonstrates its merits in practice. The benefits from the joint work of several specialists will be higher than from the individual work of each. The synergy effect makes employees work more efficiently and harmoniously, as they represent one whole. In this case, the quality and adequacy of proposals turns out to be much higher. Therefore, it is better to discuss work issues together with the team.
• The principle of cohesion. One specialist can do a lot, but a whole team of specialists can do even more. The main thing is that employees are confident in their goals and do everything possible to achieve them. That is, they were motivated to get results. But professional teams do not appear out of nowhere; they need to be formed. This is why organizing meetings exists - a tool for creating staff motivation and stimulating the process of achieving goals. During planning meetings, the respect and trust of employees and management increases, and the process of personnel training occurs. Building a high-performing team depends on the quality of your meetings. If you want to achieve well-coordinated teamwork, then pay attention to meetings.
• The principle of clarity. The unknown is one of the most powerful demotivators. The goals and objectives of the company must be clear to the performer, otherwise his performance decreases and his resistance increases. Transparency of future plans and tasks is one of the rules how to run an effective meeting. Here all the goals, their necessity and the desired result are discussed. This way you can reduce the resistance of personnel to an unknown and incomprehensible task.

How to Run an Effective Meeting

There are a number of meeting types that differ in their purpose. The success of the entire planning meeting directly depends on the choice of how to conduct the meeting. If the leader forgets the purpose of the meeting, then productivity can be forgotten. Here are the main types of meetings:

• Training meeting. It's a conference. Fulfills the educational goal, meeting participants receive the necessary knowledge and improve skills.
• Informational. Used to collect information on a specific issue or problem, to receive feedback from employees, and to summarize the data received.
• Explanatory. It is necessary to increase the clarity of decisions made by management, to explain the motivation for their point of view and to convince the rest of the staff of the correctness of the chosen position.
• Problematic. The meeting is necessary to identify specific problems and determine ways to solve them.

These features of meetings apply not only to meetings in the usual form, but also to large meetings or press conferences, to private conversations between colleagues or a boss with a subordinate. In any case, it is necessary to follow the rules for a successful and effective meeting.

Preparing the meeting

Not only the meeting itself, but also the preparation affects the effectiveness. The manager should remember the rules for preparing and conducting meetings in order to increase efficiency.

Start of the meeting

The meeting must begin at the specified time. The manager needs to give an introductory speech, which will describe the topic of the planning meeting, the stages of the meeting and set goals and objectives. It is necessary to convince employees of the importance of the identified problems, this creates an incentive for discussion. You can immediately pose problematic questions that will be discussed. To increase motivation, it is necessary to interest listeners in the discussion, to establish a connection between the final result and the interests of employees. In this way, even those who initially thought the meeting was useless can be persuaded to participate in the discussion.

Necessarily involves keeping a protocol. This can be done by one of the subordinates. All meeting participants must be familiar with the rules for working on the assigned task. It is better for all work topics to be in front of your subordinates, so write them on the board in advance.

Organizing a discussion

There are several options for organizing a discussion. For an effective and efficient discussion, it is necessary to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. You should not delve into bureaucracy and officialdom - this may negatively affect the desire to cooperate. It is important to remain calm during the discussion. Determine the order of the meeting in such a way that the discussion gradually gains momentum, leading to the ideal final result.

The manager’s point of view should not be an axiom for employees, otherwise a fruitful discussion will not work. It is necessary to listen and take into account the opinion of everyone present on any of the problems raised. The meeting methodology does not recommend using categorical phrases like “you are completely wrong,” because this not only negatively affects the subordinate’s self-esteem, but also demotivates him to make decisions and participate in further discussions.

Often managers evaluate any proposal or idea that appears immediately during the discussion process. On the one hand, this can be useful. But excessive criticism can destroy the creative intentions of team members and reduce their motivation to put forward proposals. Then it’s worth adding to the meeting plan brainstorming method. In this case, everyone can contribute to the discussion, propose any idea that will not be discussed during the brainstorming process. Criticism of the proposals will follow.

The leader must ensure that the discussion is always conducted in the direction he needs. Often employees begin to wander off to the side and discuss irrelevant issues. Then you should carefully return them to the desired path. This must be done delicately so that the participant in the discussion does not lose interest.

But how to conduct meetings, how to argue if the arguments can offend the interlocutor or even humiliate him? There are several rules of competent debate that should be used during meetings.

• Even if you are annoyed, you should not raise your voice. You need to speak clearly and slowly.
• Your arguments should be addressed not to your opponent, but to everyone present. This way you will achieve a business atmosphere that will have a beneficial effect on the discussion process.
• Focus on those aspects that you share with your opponent. Give an example and justify your position. Then you can move on to ideas that are not close to you. Formulate all your complaints in the form of questions to your interlocutor.

If the manager knows how to ask questions, then he can count on effective meetings. Questions allow you to highlight points that have not yet been touched upon and move from one topic to another. This way you can more clearly understand the position of your interlocutors and get their opinion on a particular issue.

The discussion leader should not initially insist on your point of view, should not impose his opinion on other participants in the discussion. It is possible that the positions of some employees may remain unvoiced, since people are often afraid to argue with their superiors. And you should always listen to opposing opinions, because this is the only way to come to the most reasonable decision.

Even a neutral position on a certain issue can be stipulated. It is better to present your opinion in the form of a question “Maybe we need to discuss this point of view...” or in the form of a third-person statement “I heard that...”

End of the meeting

At the end of any discussion, the leader should summarize the results of the discussion and determine what will be done to implement the accepted proposal.

The meeting scenario should end in a positive way. This way, the discussion participants will be able to realize that their participation in the discussion was not in vain, that the meeting has achieved some progress.

All results of the discussion must be recorded. Copies of the minutes should be given to those employees who were absent from the meeting but must participate in reaching the decision made.

Communication style role of the leader in the team have a direct impact on the result. If the company is dominated by the totalitarian opinion of the boss, then it is impossible to achieve a friendly discussion. Management must maintain a collegial style of communication with subordinates, then open discussion of maximum efficiency is possible.

General rules for holding meetings

A high position of leadership requires constant interaction with a wide range of subordinates, delegation of authority and responsibility. Any decision must be submitted for general discussion. Therefore, meetings cannot be avoided. The manager should not have a negative attitude towards planning meetings; this is the only way to get the maximum benefit from the discussions. A few simple rules on how to conduct effective meetings will help you.

• Take the time to prepare for the planning meeting. All you need to do is make a plan for the business meeting and outline the end result. It won't take much time, but will have a positive effect. Distribute the order of speakers.
• Many professionals try to fill the allotted time with unnecessary conversations, even if their thoughts can be expressed in a few sentences. The leader must clearly understand the essence of the speech and separate it from unnecessary “husk.”
• Emotional statements always have a negative impact on the outcome of the meeting. Try to avoid excessive emotionality, this way you can save time on discussion.
• Subject matter specialists should not use specific vocabulary. This makes the discussion less understandable for other participants. Require the use of simple and accessible terms and concepts.
• The manager’s opinion should be hidden from subordinates until the end of the discussion, so as not to win the opinion of opponents to one’s side.

Trouble in meetings

Unfortunately, even in the most thoughtful meetings, bad things happen. This may be a conflict or a dead end in the discussion. There is no need to lose your head, any trouble can be resolved. In conflict situations, it is important to find the reason for the parties’ disagreement, that is, to carefully monitor the progress of the discussion.

When speaking, a speaker needs to take into account not only the meaning of his words, but also the phrases and metaphors used, body language, and emphasis on certain thoughts. If you can record all this, then the conflict can be easily resolved using special methods.

If a deadlock occurs in the discussion, it is worth once again reminding the meeting participants of the subject of the discussion and its purpose. It is possible that the purpose of the discussion with subordinates is unclear, or you have not provided enough information. Please fix this issue. Some aspects may be exhausted, so check with the group whether this discussion should continue. Often you need to move on to the next step. Unresolved issues can be brought up to the next meeting, or come back to them later. Also, a break is one of the requirements for how to conduct a meeting properly.

If the participants in the discussion are silent, then do not try to fill the pause. Find out why it happened. Often silence is caused by the behavior of the manager or lack of information. Ask employees if they need any explanation. A modern method is often used for this – storytelling.

Often the group does not want to discuss this or that issue, trying to move on to other topics. In this case, it is necessary to show that you are committed to communication, and the opposite point of view should also be voiced. Make it clear that any opinion will be appreciated. Praise the first speaker. But you need to strictly follow the rule, otherwise you will lose the trust of the team.

Sometimes the discussion revolves around one or more topics. Ask the group if they have any further opinions on the issue already raised. Check to see if they understand the purpose of the meeting.

When conflict arises, it should be made clear that all emotions must be kept outside the meeting room. Remind rules for business meetings. The audience's attention should be focused on the purpose of the meeting, and not on the antics of individual speakers. Try to return a positive tone to the discussion and focus the audience's attention on the agenda. Please note to employees that at the moment there is no discussion of the proposals of the meeting participants, but only the putting forward of their ideas. This way you can get rid of unwanted criticism and reactions to it. To get out of a conflict, you can use test questions.

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Despite the fact that the meeting is a common management tool, not every manager has a clear idea in what cases and how it is best to use it. As a result, meetings are ineffective and feel like a waste of time. Therefore, many managers are skeptical about them. But if the manager is familiar with the features of this form of work, then he is able to easily achieve his goals.

Typically, a meeting performs such functions as transmitting information, assessing the situation, assessing the reaction of employees, adjusting joint actions, and developing solutions. To use meetings effectively, you need to understand their advantages and disadvantages.

One of the benefits of a meeting as a management tool is that it ensures that employees are committed to the decision being made. Even if a strict authoritarian style prevails in the company, the attitude of employees towards the decision made after discussion will be more loyal. Especially if the manager explains with reason why it is necessary to do this. In contrast to the situation when the same decision is simply passed down “from above”, and people have no opportunity to express their attitude towards it, except on the sidelines.

In addition, the meeting allows you to draw on the group's resources to find the best solution. As you know, one head is good, but ten is better. Again, even in a situation with an authoritarian management style (when the decision is made by the formal leader alone), the meeting allows you to expand the “problem field” of the current situation and, more importantly, increase the number of options for solving the problem.

Another positive aspect of the meeting is the opportunity to quickly receive feedback from below, to learn about what is happening in the company, the mood of people, their needs, the level of understanding of the company’s problems, the attitude towards the policies of top management, etc.

Of course, the meeting also has its downsides. And one of the most significant is the need to allocate time. The manager himself must distract himself from the current work and distract his subordinates. It often turns out that the issue is urgent. Sometimes a manager, fearing a long meeting, prefers to make a decision alone in order to save time. However, it should be noted that a properly organized meeting usually lasts no more than an hour and a half.

Common mistakes

Situation 1. Lack of a clear goal. The initiator of the meeting does not fully understand what result he wants to get in the end. The true goals of the meeting are not clear to anyone, there is no visible benefit. People come to a meeting only because certain measures are expected for non-attendance.

At least once in our lives, each of us has happened to attend a meeting, after the long-awaited completion of which we are left with only the feeling of wasted time. The presenter can talk for a long time and quite emotionally about any problems (sometimes about current problems of the organization that concern many employees), but everyone understands that this conversation leads nowhere and does not imply any real actions arising from this conversation . This category also includes meetings when several participants discuss a problem, but again according to the “talk and leave” principle. An effective meeting needs a clear purpose and specific objectives. Moreover, they should be formulated not in terms of the process (“talk about...”, “discuss the problem...”, “outline ways to resolve...”, etc.), but in terms of the result (“give participants information about...”, “receive feedback on the issue...”, “agree on the order of interaction in project A between participants B and C...”, etc.).

Situation 2. Insufficient preparation for the meeting. For example, it might look like this. The company plans to change the system of financial motivation for personnel. The purpose of the meeting is to increase employee loyalty to the decision made. A week before the meeting, participants were given materials outlining the new motivation system. However, the materials do not have a competent introductory article explaining the position of the management. The materials themselves are presented in complex, obscure language. As a result, most of the time at the meeting was spent on clarifying misunderstandings that arose due to the participants’ misunderstanding of the essence of the introduced system. The purpose of the meeting - to increase employee loyalty to the decision made - was only partially achieved.

Situation 3. Blurred boundaries(most often there is a situation of blurred time boundaries). The meeting becomes an endlessly long process with blurred time boundaries. This is also a symptom of a lack of thoughtfulness in the meeting structure.

Situation 4. Excessive formalization, lack of internal motivation for the leader and participants of the meeting to conduct it. The company's top management obliged department heads to hold weekly “planning meetings.” It was understood that current issues would be resolved at these meetings. However, department heads themselves do not know how to use the meeting as a tool, consider it just a waste of time, and simply do not know what to talk about at them. The result is that meetings are held, but operational planning exists on its own, and meetings exist on their own.

Situation 5. Inadequacy of the purpose of the meeting. The meeting is just a tool. And like any tool, it is important to use it for its intended purpose. You can, of course, hammer in the buttons. But it's not convenient. But cutting paper with an awl simply won’t work. Likewise, sometimes they try to use a meeting for completely inappropriate purposes. For example, in one company, at a weekly meeting of middle managers (store directors), the general director again and again hopes to improve the competence of his employees, to make them finally understand how to manage their subordinates. The result is minimal: the director’s monologues take up four to five hours every week, but “things are still there.”

Situation 6. The goals of the meeting and the methods for conducting it contradict each other. For example, a leader sets a goal to make a joint decision, but limits himself to a monologue on the problem for about 60 minutes. At the end he asks: “Who wants to say what?” No one wants to say anything anymore, everyone is silent and thinking about how to quickly leave the meeting and return to their routine affairs.

Meeting Methods

Report– one participant makes a presentation on a specific topic. It is important that the report takes no more than seven minutes, since this is exactly the time during which, on average, listeners are able to maintain their attention.

Opinion exchange(exchange of information) – each of the participants takes turns speaking on a certain topic (answering a specific question). For example, “the situation in the department over the past week,” “how the employees of your department are reacting to the changes that are taking place,” or “your assessment of the risks in relation to the project under discussion.” The good thing about this method is that it allows you to create a holistic picture due to the fact that each participant in the meeting takes the floor.

Brainstorm– participants chaotically come up with answers (solutions) to a specific question (problem). In this case, a situation of non-judgment in relation to ideas is necessary, since the main task is to generate as many ideas as possible, even the most absurd ones. Employees should be warned not to criticize their colleagues’ proposals and not to say the word “no” at all. Then the atmosphere will be relaxed and no one will withdraw into themselves. Subsequently, from the entire variety, you can choose those solutions that are most suitable. The good thing about this method is that it allows you to go beyond templates. It allows you to use the resource of the group and find creative solutions to complex problems. For example, where to get money for a new project? How to organize a corporate party at minimal cost? commercial plot, etc.

Discussion- any of the participants can take the floor on an existing issue, but not everyone must speak out. This method is useful when the issue has already been discussed and everyone has had the opportunity to speak, but there are still controversial issues and the issue has not yet been resolved.

How to have a constructive meeting

In every meeting there are two things that the facilitator needs to manage. There is a subject for the meeting, a specific issue that needs to be resolved, agreed upon, or simply brought to the attention of the participants. And there are relationships between people - participants in the meeting. At each stage of the meeting, it is important for the facilitator to have at least two objectives in mind (see table).

In general, the rules for effective meetings can be formulated as follows:

1. Set a specific goal - why you are holding the meeting. Be sure to check whether this goal can actually be achieved through the meeting.
2. Determine which meeting techniques will help you achieve this goal.
3. Set a meeting time and ensure that it not only starts, but also ends on time.
4. Regardless of the purpose of the meeting, be sure to allow time for participants to ask questions and express their views.
5. Determine the participants’ performance limit, including your own limit. Speeches taking more than seven minutes are not permissible, even if the leader takes the floor.

Stages of a constructive meeting

Drawing up a plan for meetings and negotiations

We all know that meetings are an important tool for the successful management of any organization. Every working day, there are countless meetings around the world that require huge amounts of time and money, but what percentage of all these meetings are effective?
Before a business meeting:

1. Define your goal. Try to define a clear purpose for the meeting. What do you want to achieve? Make sure that meeting participants are aware of this.

2. How much time is needed? Think carefully about how long the meeting will take. For example, why would you waste an hour when 45 minutes is enough?

3. Have meetings in the morning. If possible, try to organize meetings in the morning, as people tend to be more attentive at this time. They will also likely try to end the meeting on time - before lunch!

4. Invite only those who are relevant to the issues being discussed. Invite only those who can make a meaningful contribution to the meeting.

5. Prepare a meeting agenda. When preparing your agenda, try not to go beyond one page. List the most important issues first, as this will allow them to be discussed when people are most attentive.

6. Give people advance notice. Invite meeting participants in advance as this will increase the chances that they will be able to attend and will give them time to prepare.

7. Distribute the meeting agenda. A few days before the meeting, introduce the agenda to the participants and ask if they have any comments or would like to add any additional items to the agenda. If the agenda changes, inform all participants of the changes made.

8. Appoint a strong meeting chair. A good chair is key to the success of every meeting.

9. Appoint a secretary or minute taker. Make sure that there is a person at the meeting who is responsible for taking minutes of the meeting. Ideally, this person should have an individual perspective on the issues being discussed.

10. Prepare for the meeting. If you are a participant, make an outline of what you want to say before the meeting. Make a list of key points that you can refer to during the meeting.

11. Start the meeting on time. Make sure the meeting starts on time. Don't waste time waiting for people who are late.

12. Stick to the agenda. As the chairperson, it is your responsibility to remind participants of the agenda whenever anyone deviates from it.

13. Stimulate discussion. Ask participants direct questions. Avoid questions that require clear answers: “yes” or “no.”

14. Record events. Make sure that the activities are recorded clearly and clearly. For each event, it is necessary to determine the performer and target deadlines for completion.

15. Minute the meeting. Always identify all parties to an agreement and make sure they are recorded.

16. Be positive. Try to end the meeting on a positive note! Participants will feel more optimistic and ready to complete the activities and tasks assigned to them.

After a business meeting

17. Prepare meeting minutes as quickly as possible. If possible, type up the minutes immediately after the meeting while you remember everything. If necessary, obtain his approval.

18. Give status to each task/activity. It is a good practice to assign the status of tasks identified at the meeting as "open", "in progress" and "completed".

19. Distribute the protocol over 24 hours. Try to prepare and distribute minutes to participants within 24 hours of the meeting, as this will give participants more time to complete tasks.

20. Monitor the progress of tasks. Find and ask people to update you on the current status of tasks in advance of the next meeting and include them in the minutes of the upcoming meeting. This will allow you to shorten the duration of your next meeting.
In any negotiation, planning is the most important step. Due to poor preparation for negotiations, we often give up our positions, which sometimes affects the profitability of the transaction.

You need to be able to evaluate the following factors to begin planning:

What are your goals?

What does the other side want to achieve?

What information will influence the final outcome of the negotiations?

What concessions can you make?

Before negotiations begin, you need to clearly define your goals.

What do you want to achieve?

What should you achieve?

What would you like to achieve?

What alternatives are acceptable?

What are the other aspects of your goals?

Information:

Information is power. When negotiating, you need to know:

What information do you and the other party have?

What information only you have?

What information do you need before negotiations begin?

What information does the other party need before negotiating with you?

This information is especially useful when negotiating prices.

Early in the negotiations, both parties must obtain the necessary information before proposing a specific deal or alternatives. For example, if you know that only your company is capable of fulfilling a certain order, then you can begin negotiations on more favorable terms for you.

Concessions:

Negotiation is a process by which agreement is reached between 2 or more parties. It is impossible for agreement to be reached instantly; usually the goals of the parties diverge, and only through concessions is the final outcome of the negotiations decided. When preparing for negotiations, you need to make the most realistic assessment of the final result. Decide what concessions you are willing to make to reach an agreement.

There are two elements of concessions: cost and values. You need to make such concessions that the price concessions are minimal for you, but at the same time it represents great value to the other party.

When preparing for negotiations, ask yourself:

What is the likely outcome of the negotiations?

What is the limit of my authority?

What concessions can I make?

What will be the cost of each concession, and how much value will it provide to the other party?

Strategy

Once you have set your goals, you need to find a way to achieve them. To do this, you need to develop a strategy. There are many negotiation tactics, and you will need to choose the appropriate tactic for each situation. Ask yourself: What tactics should you use to achieve your goal? What tactics is the other side using?

If you go into negotiations with someone, you must determine what role that person will play in the negotiations. Sometimes negotiation teams deliberately assign roles to negotiate more effectively.

What helps and what hinders communication
The main goal of communication between people is to achieve mutual understanding.
But this is not easy to do. Why is it easy for us to communicate with some people, but difficult with others? Why do we get along with some people, but always quarrel with others? It is clear that it is much easier to establish relationships with a person with whom there are so-called points of contact. Before eliminating disagreements, it is necessary to find out their reasons, and only after that establish relationships with the interlocutor.
In the art of communication, it is very important to be able to listen and understand the person you are talking to. By explaining to people your intentions and the reasons from which you proceed, you will be able to prevent many misunderstandings, quarrels and conflicts. Honesty in a conversation with an interlocutor is often the only way out of a conflict situation. The truth should be expressed not in order to humiliate the interlocutor, but, on the contrary, in order to elevate him in his own eyes and clarify your position.
The most important part of the communication process is listening. If a person listens attentively to his interlocutor, it means he is well-mannered, understands the speaker’s problem and, as it were, helps him correctly formulate his thoughts.
The communication process is complex, it is influenced by various factors: mood, combination of circumstances, a person’s character, his sociability or, conversely, shyness. It is necessary to choose the right manner of behavior, tone, gestures, words and expressions.
In communication, we often admit things that interfere with mutual understanding. This is the use of offensive words and expressions, offensive nicknames, unnecessary abbreviations. “Hello”, “thank you”, “please”, “sorry”... - these simple words have power over our mood. It is very important that they are always present in people’s communication at work, in public places, and used in the family.
So what is communication culture? If a person expresses his thoughts competently, knows how to behave, and treats his interlocutor with respect, we say that this person masters the culture of communication.
There are rules that, when followed, help to establish good relationships with people:
* Communication as equals, without rudeness and servility.
* Respect for the personal opinion of the interlocutor.
* Lack of desire to find out who is right and who is wrong.
* Communication at the level of requests, not orders.
* Search for compromise solutions.
* The ability to appreciate the decision of another.
* Ability to accept the experiences of others.
If a person does not know how to enter into a conversation, then he should choose any interesting topic for conversation and a time when the person being addressed is not busy with any work. You should always remember that the other person is not like you, and you need to be able to look at things through his eyes, especially in conflict situations.
Respectful treatment of a person is impossible without respecting his point of view, even if it does not agree with yours. You can cultivate a respectful attitude towards people only if you learn to see individuality in each person, that is, those character traits that are unique to him.
Each of us is worthy of respect. By respecting another, you respect yourself, so if you have a bad relationship with someone, it is up to you to make an effort to put it in order. Psychologists give good advice, which is as follows: do not forget about the interests of your interlocutor. Your lively and sincere interest in what he is interested in will make him excited and enthusiastic.
There are several important rules for conducting an open and honest conversation with an “uncomfortable interlocutor” that both adults and teenagers need to know:
* Use "language-I". Starting a phrase with the words: “From my point of view...” or “The way I see it...”, you will soften the conversation and show the interlocutor that you are expressing only your point of view, without claiming to be the ultimate truth. Thus, you recognize his right to have his own opinion. Surely they will listen to you much calmer and more attentively.
* Try to talk about a specific incident or behavior without making generalizations. For example, generalizations like: “There was no case that you came home on time (did your homework).” This start of the conversation will give the teenager the opportunity to escape from the problem being discussed. He will begin to remember and prove that he once did something on time.
* Try to show your interlocutor that his behavior primarily interferes with himself. In order to create conditions in which an adult or adolescent would want to change their behavior, it is necessary to try to explain how much they are missing out on in life because of their own behavior.
* Invite your interlocutor to change their behavior. Explain to him what exactly he can do in this situation in order to correct it. It is possible that since you do not want to offend him, it will be quite difficult for you to tell him the truth. However, remember: if you remain silent, you can harm him.
When talking to a teenager or an adult, do not expect that they will immediately understand you or agree with you. If your interlocutor takes offense at you in a conversation, do not be afraid to patiently explain your point of view to him again. Pay close attention to his reaction to your words. Try to achieve mutual understanding, use a return to what was said, ask again and agree, do not forget about clarifying questions and summing up what you heard... Of course, for some, such an establishment of relationships may seem like too much time, but all this will take much less time, effort and emotions than action-reaction type communication, since such a conversation does not give any result at all.
More often than not, honesty is the best policy in dealing with people. It's amazing how often we start conversations with clever strategies and tactics, forgetting to try to simply speak out first. Honest dialogue is the most effective, simple and reliable means of turning conflict into cooperation.

PARTS OF COMMUNICATION- its specific characteristics, showing its unity and diversity.
Communication usually manifests itself in the unity of its five sides: interpersonal, cognitive, communicative-informational, emotive and conative.
Interpersonal side communication reflects a person’s interaction with his immediate environment: with other people and the communities with which he is connected in his life. First of all, this is a family and professional group that use established cultural, historical and professional patterns of behavior. Along with these patterns of behavior, a person learns national-ethnic, social-age, emotional-aesthetic and other standards and stereotypes of communication.
Cognitive side communication allows you to answer questions about who the interlocutor is, what kind of person he is, what can be expected from him, and many others related to the personality of the partner. It covers not only knowledge of another person, but also self-knowledge. As a result, in the process of communication, images and ideas about oneself and partners are formed that regulate this process itself.
Communication and information side communication is the exchange between people of various ideas, ideas, interests, moods, feelings, attitudes, etc. If all this is considered as information, then the communication process can be understood as a process of information exchange. But this approach to human communication is very simplified, because in the conditions of communication information is not only transmitted, but also formed, clarified, and developed.
Emotive side communication is associated with the functioning of emotions and feelings, mood in personal contacts of partners. They manifest themselves in the expressive movements of the subjects of communication, their actions, deeds, and behavior. Mutual relationships emerge through them, which become a kind of socio-psychological background of interaction, predetermining greater or lesser success of joint activities.
Conative (behavioral) side communication serves the purpose of reconciling internal and external contradictions in the positions of partners. It provides a controlling influence on the individual in all life processes, reveals a person’s desire for certain values, expresses a person’s motivational forces, and regulates the relationships of partners in joint activities.

COMMUNICATION STYLES - This
ways of interacting with other people in the process of communication. Usually there are 10 such styles:
1) dominant (strategy aimed at reducing the role of others in communication);
2) dramatic (exaggeration and emotional coloring of the content of the message);
3) controversial (aggressive or proving);
4) calming (a relaxing manner of communication aimed at reducing the anxiety of the interlocutor);
5) impressive (strategy aimed at making an impression);
6) precise (aimed at the accuracy and accuracy of the message);
7) attentive (showing interest in what others are saying);
8) inspired (frequent use of non-verbal behavior - eye contact, gestures, body movement, etc.);
9) friendly (tendency to openly encourage others and be interested in their contribution to communication);
10) open (representing the desire to fearlessly express one’s opinion, feelings, emotions, personal aspects of oneself).

Drawing up an optimal model of communication with an imaginary interlocutor

1.Rules for constructing a business conversation

Business conversations (business meetings, meetings, conversations are one of the most important forms of management activity).
Business conversations are a form of interpersonal communication, an exchange of views, points of view, information, and opinions aimed at solving a problem.
Structure of the conversation:
Starting a conversation;
Creating a favorable climate (welcomes, introductions);
Statement of your position and its rationale;
Clarification of the interlocutor’s positions;
Joint problem analysis;
Making a decision, clarifying the positions of the interlocutor.
Typical mistakes made by managers during conversations:
The leader shows authority and does not take into account the opinions of others;
The manager ignores the condition of the employees;
Does not take into account the motives of employee behavior;
The manager does not show interest in the interlocutor (ignoring);
The manager does not listen to the interlocutor and constantly interrupts.
Conversation functions:
Mutual communication between workers from the same field;
Joint search, promotion, prompt development of working ideas and plans;
Maintaining business contacts;
Stimulating business activity;
Control and coordination of already started operations.
Business individual conversations are divided into two groups:
Conversations are free and focused with a two-way exchange of information, taking place without special preparation (with or without time).
Conversations, specially prepared and strictly regulated.
Any business individual conversation consists of three stages:
Stage one is preparatory. It includes determining the objectives of the conversation and drawing up its plan; setting the time and choosing the place where the conversation will take place. Drawing up a conversation plan based on its objectives is the main section of this stage. Here you need to analyze your employment, determine the time of the conversation and its duration, and also consider whether the time is convenient for the interlocutor.
At this preparatory stage, you should check yourself on the following points:
1. Careful consideration of the course of the conversation;
2. Freedom from stereotypes, willingness to perceive people as they are, to respond flexibly to changes occurring in them;
3. Full willingness to listen to the interlocutor and correctly answer possible questions;
4. Having an accurate, clear and correct conversation plan;
5. The ability of a drawn up conversation plan to raise questions that lead the discussion aside;
6. The presence of natural and convincing formulations;
7. Expression of all thoughts accurately and clearly;
8. Correct choice of tone for the conversation;
9. An attempt to imagine yourself in the place of your interlocutor and understand him;
10. Imagine if a similar conversation were held with you, would you be satisfied with it.
Stage two is introductory. During this stage, the psychological barrier is overcome and an atmosphere of trust is established.
Stage three is the main one. It consists of three parts: Introductory part of the conversation (objections); the main part of the conversation (evidence); the final part of the conversation (conclusions).

1.1 Preparing for the conversation

If you came to the conversation for the first time, then you need to enter and identify yourself. If a visitor comes to you and introduces himself, you need to try to immediately remember his name and patronymic. Having met a visitor, you need to get up from the table and invite your interlocutor to sit opposite you. It’s good to go out to meet him: this gesture lets the interlocutor know that you respect him and are ready to talk as equals. In the case when you meet for a conversation with your colleague or just a person you know, greeting him and calling him by name and patronymic, it is quite enough to get up from the table. Before starting a conversation with a stranger, it is recommended to warn the interlocutor about the time you have for the conversation. Conversation (this is the main stage). The manager must understand how his interlocutor assesses the situation. It is necessary to try to present a complete picture of all events or the situation, focusing only on the words of the interlocutor. You need to be able to listen and correctly ask clarifying and leading questions that will help reveal the thoughts of your interlocutor.
After meeting these requirements, you can express your point of view convincingly and in detail. It is necessary to make sure that the interlocutor sees the situation from the other side and can critically reconsider his views based on a more complete knowledge of this situation. The conversation may not always go smoothly. The reason for failure must be found in yourself, in your facial expression, tone, attention, and not in your interlocutor, you need to find the exact selection of phrases. If you come up with counter-questions - counter-statements - this can lead to an argument with your interlocutor. The reason for counter-statements is often the inability to quickly assess the situation. Unrestrained categorical judgments, which can destroy the goodwill of the interlocutor, are detrimental to the conversation. During the conversation, you need to consistently carry out the main idea, you need to learn to listen, choose the right points for comments and make them in a tactful form, unobtrusively argue your points, show self-criticism when making reasonable counter comments, patiently listen to your interlocutor and his objections.
Cases when you have to respond to objections:
You need to let your interlocutor answer his own objections and refute them. To do this, there is no need to contradict openly; after listening to the comments, one must try to reject it indirectly; conditionally agree with one or another objection; try to listen to several objections in order to grasp the main thing and respond immediately; harsh objections should be repeated in a calm tone.
You need to express your reaction to your interlocutor’s words by nodding your head with an “expecting look,” short approving remarks, and repeating the last words spoken by your interlocutor, showing that the idea is understood.
There are times when the interlocutor has a pronounced conceit and a tendency to argue. In this case, you need to let him speak out, then return to this issue, or wait until your interlocutor reaches a dead end.
You also need to pay attention to the pace of conversation and pauses. This is of great importance, as it helps to highlight the main thing. The speech of the interlocutors must be distinct and extremely clear. Don't speak too loudly or too quietly. The first is tactless, the second can force your interlocutor to ask the same question repeatedly.
The decision should always follow conviction, since otherwise the interlocutor, instead of expressing his ideas, will begin to criticize you or will indifferently agree with everything.
End of the conversation. Once the other person's points of view become clear, the conversation can end.
Key aspects:
participants in the conversation should have enough time to conduct a calm, thorough conversation;
Circumstances that may interfere with the conversation should be foreseen and eliminated (noise, loud music, the possibility of others interfering in the conversation, etc.);
it is necessary to tune in to the conversation, eliminating experiences that would negatively affect your readiness to communicate;
you should calm yourself down if the upcoming conversation causes too much excitement, and mobilize yourself additionally; before the conversation, if possible, you should get acquainted with the data on your interlocutor, keeping in mind that they can affect the perception process; you need to suppress your feelings, negatively affecting the correct perception of the interlocutor (for example, a feeling of sympathy - antipathy);
one must anticipate in advance possible questions that the interlocutor may pose and be prepared to answer them, i.e. at this stage, the participants in communication (man, woman, temperament, character, level of professional training and other qualities), the topic and the current situation are assessed. Each person is characterized by needs, motivations for activity, interests unique to her. Therefore, at the stage of preparation for communication, a manager must take into account all motives and choose from the available arsenal the most effective means of influencing a partner already at the stage of direct communication. It is important not only to evaluate your future interlocutor and the current situation, but also to think through the manner of your behavior in order to effectively manage it , create with your personal behavior and actions favorable conditions for communication
communication, find out the situation and topic of communication, work out additional material in accordance with the problem. Place of communication. After carrying out a set of preparatory activities for business communication, you should prepare the place where the conversation will take place. As a rule, it must satisfy two conditions:
1) nothing should distract or interfere with communication;
2) good equipment of the venue for business communication - auxiliary materials, additional information, official and regulatory documents, etc.
Elementary order in affairs contributes to the success of communication.
If a manager wants to emphasize power and his superiority, then the conversation should take place in his office. If the manager wants to achieve good contact with the subordinate and his support, the meeting should take place in the subordinate’s office. In this case, the principle of territoriality applies: most people feel more comfortable in their office than in the office of their boss.
During official communication, you are in your usual place - at the table; when semi-formal, you sit opposite the visitor at a side table or meeting table, as if thereby equating your status with that of the visitor.
The informal communication area consists of two or three armchairs (preferably comfortable, conducive to relaxation) and a coffee table.
. Furniture arrangement. In a typical office, the manager sits at a large table, and the visitor area is located across the table from him. In offices, where chairs and sofas are placed at the right angle, the environment promotes more relaxed personal interactions. In an office where there is a large boss’s desk, the power of the person sitting at such a desk is emphasized, which symbolizes inequality in communication. Therefore, to eliminate the feeling of inequality, round tables are preferred. Arrangement of furniture
If the problem is being solved: “How to make your interlocutor sit down”? The question is not as idle as it might seem at first glance. We humans are quite subtle creatures. Very often we experience a feeling of either inner comfort or discomfort, but we cannot explain why. There are at least three options for placing the talkers: opposite, side by side, at an angle of 90°. Each option is used quite often, but which is preferable? Experts believe that effective communication requires that the eyes of those talking meet approximately a third of the time the interlocutors are in contact (35-38%). Therefore, the chairs at the conversation table should be placed at right angles.
Determination of communication strategy and tactics. At this stage, the main and secondary goals of communication should be determined (in particular, what can and cannot be sacrificed). It is important to understand what you can give away to get more profit. Communication tactics also include the ability to ask questions.
The direction of the conversation can be controlled by the questions asked. Questions can be divided into so-called “open” and “closed”.
An open question is a question that cannot be answered in monosyllables (yes, no, I don’t know), but when answering it you have to tell it. For example: “Please tell me...”, “What do you know about...”, “What do you think...?”, “Why?”, “Your opinion?”, “Your suggestions?”, “ How do you explain this?"
Open questions are invaluable when the goal is to obtain information.
The opposite of open questions are closed questions, i.e. those that require a yes-no answer. These questions can be effectively used to achieve the following goals: to convince, to obtain consent, to lead to refusal of something, to overcome resistance.
For example, you need to give instructions to an employee who (you know this from experience) will argue, prove that this matter is not his responsibility, etc.

It is unthinkable to imagine the work of any organization without business communications. Properly built communication between employees allows you to solve assigned tasks smoothly and quickly.

There are many types of meetings in organizations, and each of them has its own characteristics and objectives. Knowing these nuances will help facilitate business discussions. This article will tell you about the types of meetings, help you understand why they are held and how they are recorded in office work.

Purposes of business meetings

Any type of office meeting allows you to see a comprehensive picture of the situation happening in the organization and determine its strengths and weaknesses. It is worth noting that when participating in this format of business communications, rapid growth of the company or enterprise occurs.

Tasks

The following tasks for all types of meetings can be distinguished:

• solving current problems and issues;
• integration of departments’ actions in accordance with the strategic goal of the company;
• assessment of the activities of the company and its individual structural divisions;
• maintaining and developing company policy.

In order to understand in what format to hold such a business event, you need to decide which of the above tasks will correspond to it, and only after that you can understand which classification it will belong to.

Types and classification

A meeting, as a type of business communication, can take different forms, which determine its topic and the list of officials present.

The main classification of meetings should be highlighted:

1. Membership area. Here we can distinguish such types of meetings as administrative (which involve the discussion of problematic issues), scientific (seminars and conferences, the purpose of which is to discuss current scientific issues), political (which involve a meeting of members of any political parties and movements) and mixed types.
2. Scale. Here we distinguish between international ones, where specialists from other countries or foreign partners are involved, national, regional, and city ones.
3. Regularity. In any format, meetings can be ongoing or periodic.
4. Depending on the location - local or traveling.

And also all types of meetings can be divided as follows:

1. Instructional, providing for a directive format, where a superior manager conveys information directly to his subordinates, which is then dispersed and transmitted along the vertical of power. Most often, in the course of such business communication, orders from the general director are conveyed, which can significantly influence the progress of the enterprise, and these can also be norms of behavior or important innovations.
2. Operational (control rooms). The purpose of this type of meeting is to obtain information about the state of affairs in the organization or enterprise. The flow of information in this case is directed from lower subordinates to the heads of departments or the general director. Mainly at operational meetings, issues on the implementation of road maps, planned activities, strategic and operational plans are discussed. An important difference between an operational (dispatcher) meeting and all others is that they are held regularly and have a constant list of participants. It is also worth noting that during the meeting there may be no agenda.
3. Problematic. Such a meeting is convened in the event of an urgent need to make a decision to complete tasks in a short time or to solve a global problem that has arisen for the enterprise.

In addition to all of the above, we can separately highlight one of the most popular types of production meetings - the planning meeting. As a rule, such an event is held daily or once a week, at which the head of the department and direct performers are present, who receive tasks for the day and discuss the progress of their implementation.

The topic of the meeting of the enterprise’s personnel for the meeting can be any type of issues that arise in the course of the enterprise’s activities, and the discussion can also be devoted to changes in the external environment in which a specific organization operates.

Organization of the meeting

Any type of meeting, regardless of its format, requires careful preparation for it, since its effectiveness depends on this moment. Initially, it is necessary to determine the following points:

• target;
• issues discussed;
• setting tasks for staff (based on functionality and subordination);
• stages of task completion.

Today, most meetings are conducted in a very mediocre manner, due to which their meaning is lost, and the assigned tasks may be performed poorly. Therefore, it is extremely important to think through the entire course of such business meetings and structure the working discussion in such a way that it does not just take up time, but has a backlash from the team.

Holding meetings

It should be noted that large firms and organizations seeking to gain a certain market share and develop their company in order to make big profits place a big bet on discussing important issues through meetings. From the practice of successful managers, we can formulate the following set of rules on how to prepare for a meeting:

First, a list of participants is determined. You should clearly understand who to invite to the meeting and what role he will play in it. It often happens that the invited persons may not understand the issue, and are invited “just in case,” but at this moment they could carry out their official duties and not waste time.

It is important to prepare an agenda. If the meeting is planned, then an agenda is developed in advance, which indicates the issues to be discussed, and also identifies the main speakers. It is important to remember that this document must be sent to those responsible for preparing the information and those who will be present so that all participants can prepare reports, proposals and additional questions. If necessary, the agenda can be adjusted.

The main and strategic issues should be brought to the forefront of the meeting. The speakers of such issues must necessarily be persons (heads of departments, sections, workshops) who are personally responsible for the implementation of any strategic activities of the company.

Important points

It is important to remember that any meeting has two main stages - preparation for it and its conduct itself. The first stage includes determining the relevance of holding a business gathering, identifying tasks, main and secondary goals, creating a list of participants and speakers, preparing reports, presentations and a report according to the topic or previously determined agenda. The second stage involves the implementation of the previously planned course of the meeting, hearing reports and discussing current and strategic issues.

If during such business communication it is necessary to decide what employees should do and to whom, then we can distinguish the third stage - decision making. As a rule, decisions are determined by the chairman leading the meeting, based on his discretion or through discussion or collective voting.

Example of a meeting plan

Having a clearly defined plan in front of him, any manager can conduct a meeting efficiently and effectively, which will allow him to receive feedback from the staff and set the right tasks for them. This plan may include the following aspects:

• hearing reports and summing up results for a certain time period (quarter, week, half-year, month);
• coverage of current issues relevant to the company;
• listening to proposals for eliminating problems (brainstorming);
• assessment of the proposed options and discussion of their implementation;
• accumulation of options;
• voting for the adoption of one or another option;
• defining boundaries when solving problems (determining those responsible, deadlines, methods and methods).

Logging

Most types of meetings need to be recorded on paper (document), which is called minutes. Maintaining this kind of documentation allows you to legitimize the decisions made. And also, thanks to the protocol, you can always track the progress of activities, and in case of failure to complete the assigned tasks, determine who is responsible for this.

The meeting is usually conducted by the secretary of the leader who is the chairman of the meeting. However, often this function can be performed by other employees.

Functions and tasks of the secretary

Before the start of business meetings, the secretary must be familiar with the list of invitees and the list of issues discussed. However, it is worth noting that if the meeting is held on a regular basis, then it is this official who collects all the documentation (lists, plans, agenda, etc.) and helps the manager prepare for the meeting.

Initially and if necessary, the secretary may ask the persons who have appeared to fill out a registration sheet, where their full names will be indicated. and position. This will be needed when drawing up the protocol. Next, the secretary announces the agenda, which marks the beginning of the meeting. Further, when those present begin discussing issues, the secretary records the progress of this event. At the end of the meeting, this official prepares a finished version of the minutes, after which he signs it with the chairman and sends it to all involved persons.

When drawing up, it is extremely important for the secretary to pay due attention to the appearance of the minutes of the meeting. It must include a header, location, list of those present, issues discussed and decisions made.

Conclusion

From the above information, it becomes clear that holding meetings at enterprises is extremely important. However, it is always worth remembering that high-quality preparation for such events carries more than 50% of the key to success when covering information, setting tasks and their high-quality implementation.