There are lots of strategies to help you successfully lead office meetings. A few very simple and effective methods can help you calm your nerves, keep control of your audience, and increase staff productivity. Utilize the tips below to make office meetings, in a house cleaning company or any business, better for everyone.
How to succeed in your office meetings:
1. Lead by example. If you want positive energy and engagement from your team, you need to demonstrate those qualities. We are empathetic by nature and are led by example. Your team will automatically measure and mimic your mood. They will look for clues from you about the tone of the meeting. It is up to you to project a radiant and positive energy.
- Stay focused
- Show that you care
- Don’t let negative energy influence you
- Don’t address any negativity or conflicts at the meeting itself
- Be upbeat and positive
- Lead with your body language and tone
2. Connect with your team. Keep your notes nearby, but maintain eye contact. Avoid reading a list, prioritize highlights, and keep them short. You only have about ten seconds before their minds start to wander off. With only two or three sentences you can establish why you are meeting and what you intend to accomplish.
- Reassure with eye contact
- Make a check list prior to the meeting
- Keep your office team interested
- Be precise and direct
3. Keep everyone on task with the company’s mission. Remind everyone that they are working as a team towards goal and not just clocking meeting time. Clarify why your meeting fits in the overall mission. Show the team the following: How will it benefit the team? How will this help the company? You will get better engagement if everyone sees the bigger picture.
- We are house maid service that exceeds house cleaning industry standards
- We represent a maid service that is dependable and efficient in every aspect of the business
- We are a house cleaning company that is trusted by our clients, and community.
- We aim to create a positive work environment that is projected towards our clients
4. Guide your team. Don’t let the excitement abandon the room. Being direct ensures your team knows what their next action is and that they will stay interested. Make a list with a deadline with simple instructions and email it after the meeting. Remember, they are in your team and they need your guidance. Pay attention to what they have to say so you can plan a better work flow, and increase productivity. This is a great opportunity for damage control so try not to miss valuable information and repeat the checklist in a assertive tone. Delegate accordingly and assign new tasks, even it is something small, just so it gets them out of their routine. They will appreciate that.
- Have a list of new tasks
- Have step-by-step instructions for new tasks
- Have a least one task that triggers creativity
- Have a checklist and encourage your team to make one.
- Have your tasks pre-assigned based on their personality to get the best results.
5. Awards. Yay! Acknowledge success and achievements even if these are not fully completed. It takes time to get things complete every time. Your team expects to be acknowledged. Skip the high-fives or the group hugs and keep it professional. Pick a day of the week or month and get Starbucks coffee, pizza, or at least buy them donuts.
- Make a large goal chart to track results and keep it visible in the office
- Pick a recent accomplishment and praise the achiever, especially if it involves every member of your team.
- Acknowledge the group for the progress, even if it’s small. They will get there, eventually.
- Create the “Award of Excellence” in the house cleaning industry.
6. Make your case. Be prepared to wrap things up with your closing remarks. Ideally, you should end the meeting with statements that mirror your introduction and close your case with an assertive tone and reinforce the big picture one last time. Empower your team!
- Stay calmed and assertive
- Smile. Smile. Smile. 🙂
- Thank your team for the effort
- Grab a donut. Smile. Smile. Smile. 🙂
- Don’t forget to email every team member a recap of the meeting.
This guide for office meetings was created by Maids by Trade’s founder Fortino Barajas. With more than fifteen years of experience in the house cleaning industry and two decades in the management field, these tips are intended to make your management job a bit easier. Remember, there is always room for improvement.
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