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“Creating Successful Leaders”

February 8, 2023 5 Ways to Avoid Meeting Drift

Picture yourself leading (another) Zoom meeting. You’re meeting with your usual team, and you have a rough agenda, but soon things get derailed. Someone mentions that their kids have been sick, and soon everyone’s sharing stories of family illness. This topics leads to a conversation about company policies and sick leave, which then leads to a chat about upcoming vacations. By the time you get back on track, you’ve lost your main point and everyone seems unfocused and unexcited to talk about work-related topics. You’ve lost any initial momentum your meeting had.

If this scenario sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. “Meeting drift” is a common issue during meetings—virtual or otherwise—and can be extremely frustrating and counterproductive.

To help combat meeting drift, try following these five tips:

Stick to the Agenda.

Ensure that your agenda is concise and that everyone is familiar with it before the meeting starts. Before every meeting, take a few minutes to review the agenda with your team. Make sure everyone understands the topics up for discussion and the intended outcomes of the meeting. During the meeting, gently remind your team of the agenda and try to stay on-topic by summarizing each point before moving on

Start with a Brief Check-In

If your team is distracted by personal issues, their focus is more likely to drift during meetings. Kick off your meeting with a simple check-in question such as, “Julia, what did you do for fun this past weekend?” Or, “Will anyone be out of the office this week?” Make sure to limit the check-in time to 2-3 minutes, otherwise this can lead to an entirely new conversation.

Rotate Meeting Leads

Enlist help to keep the meeting on track by rotating the leadership role. This can help ensure everyone is engaged and can keep the conversation moving. When someone else is leading the meeting, you’ll be better able to recognize when the conversation is straying off-topic

Be Mindful of the Time

It’s easy to forget how long you’ve been talking when everyone is sharing their favorite vacation spot, and you find yourself reminiscing about your last beach trip. Set an alarm for yourself (or a timer for everyone) to keep your meeting on track and on time.

Encourage Participants to Take Notes

Writing notes by hand has a number of benefits, including better retention of the material being discussed and improved focus. Encourage your team to take notes every time you meet. As an added incentive, you might even gift each team member a quality notebook and pen at the beginning of the year (or quarter).

The key to avoiding meeting drift is to stay on top of it and be mindful of your team’s focus. By sticking to an agenda, providing brief check-ins, rotating meeting leads, staying conscious of the time, and encouraging participants to take notes, you’ll be able to ensure that meetings stay productive and meaningful.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 

HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.

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February 1, 2023 Dealing with Frustrations in the Workplace (productively!)

We can become frustrated for any number of reasons—the car won’t start, a family member is stirring up drama, or the person at the front of the checkout line is arguing about the price of each item in their shopping cart. That’s life. And, unfortunately, the workplace is not immune from these everyday frustrations.

However, in most workplaces, we’re expected to mask or ignore our frustrations. This doesn’t make them go away, of course, it simply buries them. And if you continually bury your frustrations, those feelings might bubble up at inopportune times.

So, what to do?

First of all, it’s important to recognize when you’re feeling frustrated. If you feel your temperature rising or your body start to clench (the physiological effects of our fight-or-flight instinct), or if you feel on the verge of shouting, those are good signs you’re dealing with frustration. By recognizing your frustration in the moment, you can then deal with it.

Once you acknowledge your frustration, you can choose to face it in a few different ways. Try any or all of the following:

Take a Break

Step away from the situation, take a few deep breaths, and clear your head. Even taking one or two minutes can be helpful. If you’re in a meeting, you might take a break to use the restroom or drinking fountain. Or, you might simply tune out the meeting for a few seconds to collect your thoughts.

Take Deep Breaths

Studies have shown that deep breathing can help lower your heart rate and alleviate feelings of stress and anger. If you’re in a meeting or intense conversation, focus on your breath and let your body relax by taking a few deep breaths.

Talk to a Trusted Colleague

Talking to a colleague about the situation can help you understand the situation better, gain perspective, and even find a solution to your problem. Just remember to be open and honest with your colleague and refrain from gossiping.

Reframe Frustration

Sometimes frustrations can crop up if you are dealing with a difficult situation or something you’ve never encountered before. In those cases, try reframing your frustration as a challenge or an opportunity. This is your chance to rise to the occasion, learn a new skill, and come up with an innovative solution.

Practice Self-Compassion

No one is perfect — we all make mistakes. So, when frustration arises at work, try to be kind to yourself. Remind yourself that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you’ll be better equipped to handle similar situations in the future.

By learning to recognize, address, and manage frustration in the workplace you can avoid explosive outbursts and unhealthy situations. Remember to stay calm, recognize the problem, and practice self-compassion.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 

HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.

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January 25, 2023 Earning Respect Starts with Respecting YOURSELF

Have you ever been in a room with someone who commanded respect? They spoke in a self-assured way, and held themselves with confidence. When this person said something, people listened and took their ideas seriously. They seemed to be the very embodiment of confidence.

That self-assured person was probably able to command the respect of others because they respected themselves. When you show yourself a bit of self-love and appreciation, you demonstrate that you’re worthy of respect.

In short, respect starts with YOU. Before you can earn respect from other people, you need to learn to respect yourself. Respect is about understanding your own worth and appreciating your own values. This doesn’t mean you’re perfect. Everyone has flaws, but the way you handle those flaws clearly demonstrates whether you respect yourself or not.

An insecure or anxious person will dwell on their personal faults, but a person who respects themselves will simply acknowledge their shortcomings (if necessary) and move on.

To start building personal respect, try any or all of the following 6 steps:

1. Start improving your self-esteem.

Take some time to recognize your good qualities and accomplishments. Think of how capable you are of achieving your goals, and how you can use your strengths to benefit yourself and others.

Once you’ve built up your self-respect, you can work on expressing it outwardly. Speak positively about yourself and show gratitude for the successes and accomplishments you’ve achieved. Be proud of who you are!

2. Know your limits.

Respect yourself by recognizing your limitations and being honest about your capabilities. If you know you don’t have the time or capacity to take on a project, say “no.” If you’re tired of answering emails after hours, draw a line in the sand and stick to your policy. (Read more about setting healthy boundaries.)

3. Seek meaningful relationships.

Prioritize relationships that are supportive, positive, and beneficial. Respect yourself by rejecting interactions that don’t serve you emotionally.

4. Find your own happiness.

People who respect themselves don’t rely on the approval of others. Instead, they seek out their own sources of happiness and satisfaction. Define your own values and work to live according to them.

5. Make healthy choices.

Respect yourself by making choices that are in your best interest. You don’t always have to say “yes” to be liked, and you don’t have to please everyone. Reject things that aren’t in alignment with your objectives, values, or vision.

6. Forgive your mistakes.

Nobody’s perfect, and that’s okay! Respect yourself by not getting too bogged down by mistakes or failures. An essential part of respecting yourself is being kind to your mistakes and being willing to learn from them.

In conclusion, respect starts with YOU. Show yourself respect, and others will follow suit. Learn to accept yourself, practice self-love, and set boundaries that protect your own well-being. When you start to respect yourself, others will take notice and show you the same respect in turn.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 

HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE.

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