The skills that make you a valuable and ethical team player will serve you well when

you run or participate in professional meetings.

11-5 Making the Most of Face-to-Face

and Virtual Meetings
Learning
Outcome 5
Identify effective practices
As you prepare to join the workforce, expect to attend meetings—lots of them! One
conservative estimate suggests that workers on average spend more than a fifth of
their work time in meetings and consider more than half of that time as wasted.56 Top
and technologies for planning managers spend even more time in meetings. A U.S. study of chief executives reveals
and participating in face- that CEOs devote 72 percent of their workweeks to meetings with the average meeting
to-face meetings and virtual taking an hour or less, but 17 percent exceeded two hours.57 In one survey, managers
meetings. considered more than a third of meeting time unproductive and reported that two
thirds of meetings fell short of their stated objectives.58
Business meetings consist of three or more people who assemble to pool
information, solicit feedback, clarify policy, seek consensus, and solve problems.
However, as the number of employees working remotely has exploded in the wake of
the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings have changed. Many workers have come to rely on
video conferencing, predominantly facilitated by the popular Zoom platform and app.
To be able to exchange information effectively and efficiently, you will need to know
how to plan and participate in face-to-face as well as virtual meetings.
Although meetings are disliked, they can be career-critical. Meeting participation, if
well played, can bring you favorable status and help build your reputation.59 Therefore,
instead of treating meetings as thieves of your valuable time, try to see them as golden
opportunities to demonstrate your leadership, communication, and problem-solving
skills. To help you make the most of these opportunities, this section outlines best
“In a co-located meet-
practices for running and contributing to meetings.
ing, there are social
norms: You don’t get
up and walk around 11-5a Preparing for the Meeting
the room, not pay- A face-to-face meeting provides the most nonverbal cues and other signals that help
ing attention. Virtual us interpret the intended meaning of words. Therefore, an in-person meeting is the
meetings are no dif- richest of available media. Yet meetings are also costly, draining the productivity of all
ferent: You don’t go participants. If you are in charge of a meeting, determine your purpose, decide how
on mute and leave the and where to meet, choose the participants, invite them using a digital calendar, and
room to get some- organize an agenda.
thing. In a physical
meeting, you would Determining the Purpose of the Meeting. No meeting should be called unless it is
never make a phone important, can’t wait, and requires an exchange of ideas. If people are merely being
call and ‘check out’ informed, it’s best to send an e-mail, text message, or memo. Pick up the phone or
from the meeting. So leave a voice mail message, but don’t call a costly meeting. To decide whether the
in a virtual meeting, purpose of the meeting is valid, consult the key people who will be attending. Ask them
you shouldn’t press what outcomes they desire and how to achieve those goals. This consultation also sets
mute and respond to a collaborative tone and encourages full participation.
your emails, killing any Deciding How and Where to Meet. Once you are sure that a meeting is necessary, you
potential for lively dis- must decide whether to meet face-to-face or virtually. If you decide to meet in person,
cussion, shared laugh- reserve a conference room. If you decide to meet virtually, select the appropriate
ter and creativity.”55 media and make any necessary arrangements for your voice/audio conference or
Keith Ferrazzi, CEO of con- videoconference. Commonly used communication technologies are discussed in
sulting and training company Chapter 1.
Ferrazzi Greenlight Selecting Meeting Participants. The purpose of the meeting determines the number
of participants, as shown in Figure 11.7. If the meeting purpose is motivational, such
as an awards ceremony for sales reps of cosmetics giant Avon or nutrition supplement
seller Herbalife, then the number of participants is potentially unlimited. However, for
effective decision making, experts recommend limiting the session to fewer than eight

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 Zoom fatigue is real, Stanford researchers say. Jeremy
Bailenson and his team have identified four main factors
causing remote workers to feel exhausted after hours on
Zoom and other video calls. (1) The close proximity to a
screen showing large faces staring at each other causes
overstimulation. (2) Gazing at oneself for many hours can
trigger self-critical feelings and stress. (3) The camera’s
narrow field of vision forces us to sit still unnaturally,
stressing the mind and body. (4) Not being able to read
body language, we need to work harder to communicate.
The researchers recommend shrinking face size, turning
off self-view, moving away from the screen, and taking
Fizkes/Shutterstock.com

breaks off camera.60 How would you describe your virtual

experience?

participants.61 Other meetings may require a greater circle of stakeholders and those
who will implement the decision.
Let’s consider Timberland’s signature employee volunteer program. Company
executives might meet with managers, employee representatives, and community
leaders to decide how best to improve school grounds, give back to veterans, or
maintain community gardens.62 Inviting key stakeholders who represent various
interests, perspectives, and competencies ensures valuable input and, therefore, is
more likely to lead to informed decisions.
Using Digital Calendars to Schedule Meetings. Finding a time when everyone can
meet is often difficult. Fortunately, digital calendars make the task quick and efficient.
Popular programs and mobile apps are Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and the
business favorite, Outlook Calendar, shown in Figure 11.8. Online calendars and
mobile apps enable users to make appointments, schedule meetings, and keep track of
daily activities.
To schedule meetings, you enter a meeting request and add the names of
attendees. You select a date, enter a start and end time, and list the meeting subject
and location. Then the meeting request goes to each attendee. Later you check the
attendee availability tab to see a list of all meeting attendees. As the meeting time
approaches, the program automatically sends reminders to invitees. The free Web-
based meeting scheduler and mobile app Doodle is growing in popularity because it
helps users poll participants to determine the best date and time for a meeting.

Figure 11.7 Meeting Purpose and Number of Participants

Information
Intensive Problem Reviews and Motivational
Problem Solving Identification Presentations and Virtual

5
or fewer
10
or fewer
30
or fewer
Unlimited

Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings 353

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 Figure 11.8 Using Calendar Programs
Calendar programs ease the frustration of scheduling meetings for busy people. The program allows you to check
colleagues’ calendars (if permission is given), locate a free time, schedule a meeting, send out an initial announce-
ment, and follow up with reminders.

www.rivacrmintegration.com/wp-content/uploads/07-cm-calendar-integration-outlook-2013-windows-8-tasks-view.png
Calendar - [email protected] - Outlook

FILE HOME SEND / RECEIVE FOLDER VIEW ADD-INS

Today Tomorrow
New Appointment February 2022 Miami, FL 71o F/57o F 68o F/553o F Search Calendar (Ctr;-E)

February 2022 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

SU MO TU WE TH FR SA Dec 30 31 Jan 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 10:00am Team sales 12:00pm Riva demo 10:00am Send Riva
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 meeting; Web for Agratech Foods; pricing to Delta
Conference Web Demo Finance (1500 users)
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
2:00pm Technical 4:00pm Follow up
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 review with Biosp... with Gary Rivera fro...
27 28
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
March 2022 10:00am Team sales... 11:00am Riva demo CRM Trade Show; San Francisco
for Spartan Chemic... 10:00am Call David T...
SU MO TU WE TH FR SA 11:00am Riva trainin... 9:30am Riva
12:00pm Riva demo... discussion with Nor...
12:00pm Riva traini... 10:30am Call Doug... 3:00pm Riva demo f...
1 2 3 4 5 2:00pm Meeting wit... 1:00pm Take Lean t...
3:00pm Riva demo... 11:00am Call Kim Sc... 4:00pm Riva technic...
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Arrange by: Flag: Due Date Today n sales 6:00pm Take
27 28 29 30 31 b daughter to soccer
Type a new task game

Today

Schedule Riva demo for Agil...

Call Thomas Harrris to schedu...
22 23 24 25 26
My Calendars
Schedule price discussion ap... n sales 2:00 pm Meeting with Customer
Calendar b First Choice Bank; Appreciation Event;
Follow up with Wayne Cook... New York City; Trevor Crestwood Golf
Papst Course
Follow up on Riva Cloud tria...
Team: Trevor Papst
Needs analysis discussion wi...
Peter Livengood Next Week 29 30 31 Feb 1 2
Schedule Riva demo for ... n sales 10:30am Sales
Team Calendar b interview with Jim
Schedule Tim Myers in f... Miller Boardroom 4
Trevor Papst
Schedule Riva demo for...
Neil Graham
2

Mail Calendar People Tasks ***

ITEMS: 32 ALL FOLDERS ARE UP TO DATE. UPDATING ADDRESS BOOK. CONNECTED TO: MICROSOFT EXCHANGE

Distributing an Agenda and Other Information. At least two days before a meeting,
distribute an agenda of topics to be discussed. Also include any reports or materials
that participants should read in advance. For continuing groups, you might also
include a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting. To keep meetings productive,
limit the number of agenda items. Remember, the narrower the focus, the greater the
chances for success. A good agenda, as illustrated in Figure 11.9, covers the following
information:
■■ Date and place of meeting
■■ Start time and end time
■■ Brief description of each topic, in order of priority, including the names of individuals
who are responsible for performing some action
■■ Proposed allotment of time for each topic
■■ Any premeeting preparation expected of participants

11-5b Managing the Meeting

Whether you are the leader or a participant, it is important to act professionally during
the meeting. Meetings can be more efficient and productive if leaders and participants
recognize how to get the meeting started, establish ground rules, move the meeting
along, and handle conflict.

354 Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 Figure 11.9 Typical Meeting Agenda

AGENDA
Smart Global Travel
Staff Meeting
September 5, 2022
10 to 11 a.m.
Conference Room

I. Call to order; roll call

II. Approval of agenda

III. Approval of minutes from previous meeting

Person Proposed Time

IV. Committee reports
A. Social media news update Mason 5 minutes
B. Tour packages Minerva 10 minutes

V. Old business
A. Equipment maintenance Scott 5 minutes
B. Client escrow accounts Olivia 5 minutes
C. Internal e-newsletter Evelyn 5 minutes

VI. New business

A. New accounts Javier 5 minutes
B. Pricing policy for Asian tours Thanh 15 minutes

VII. Announcements

VIII. Chair’s summary, adjournment

Getting Started and Establishing Ground Rules. Even if some participants are missing,
start meetings promptly to avoid wasting time and irritating attendees. For the same
reasons, don’t give quick recaps to latecomers.63 Open the meeting with a three- to “The finger shouldn’t
five-minute introduction that includes the following: necessarily be
■■ Goal and length of the meeting pointed at meetings;
it’s multitasking that
■■ Background of topics or problems you should be throw-
■■ Possible solutions and constraints ing the book at. When
we multitask, our IQs
■■ Tentative agenda fall by 10 points.
Our errors increase by
■■ Ground rules to be followed
50%. And according
Typical ground rules include communicating openly, being supportive, listening to a study by multi-
carefully, participating fully, confronting conflict frankly, silencing cell phones and other project management
digital devices, and following the agenda. More formal groups follow parliamentary software company
procedures based on Robert’s Rules. The next step is to assign one participant to take Realization, multi-
minutes and one to act as a recorder. The recorder uses a computer and projector tasking is costing
or stands at a flipchart or whiteboard to list the main ideas being discussed and organizations
agreements reached. $450 billion globally
each year.”64
Moving the Meeting Along. An effective leader lets others talk and tries to involve
all participants. If the group has one member who dominates, the leader might say, Kathleen Owens, senior
Thanks, Tom, for that perspective, but please hold your next point while we hear how executive, board member,
Alana would respond to that. This technique also encourages quieter participants to Epicor Software
speak up.

Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings 355

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 To avoid allowing digressions to sidetrack the group, try generating a parking lot
list, a list of important but divergent issues that should be discussed later. Another way
to handle digressions is to say, Folks, we’re drifting astray here. Please forgive me for
pressing on, but let’s return to the central issue of . . . . It is important to adhere to the
agenda and the schedule. Equally important, when the group seems to have reached a
consensus, is to summarize the group’s position and see whether everyone agrees.
Handling Conflict in Meetings. As you learned earlier, conflict is natural and even
desirable. However, it can also cause awkwardness and uneasiness. In meetings,
conflict typically develops when people feel unheard or misunderstood. If two
people clash, the best approach is to encourage each to make a complete case while
group members give their full attention. Let each one question the other. Then, the
leader should summarize what was said, and the participants should offer comments.
The group may modify a recommendation or suggest alternatives before reaching
consensus on a direction to follow.

11-5c Concluding the Meeting and Following Up

End the meeting at the agreed time or sooner. The leader should summarize all
decisions, assigned tasks, and deadlines. It may be necessary to ask attendees to
volunteer for completing action items. All participants should understand what was
accomplished. One effective technique that encourages participation is round-robin, in
which people take turns summarizing briefly their interpretations of what was decided
and what happens next. Of course, this closure technique works best with smaller
groups. The leader should conclude by asking the group to set a time for the next
meeting. He or she should assure the group that a report will follow. Finally, the leader
should thank participants for attending.
If minutes were taken, they should be distributed within a couple of days of
the meeting. Meeting management programs and mobile apps offer a structured
template such as that shown in Figure 11.10, which includes brief meeting minutes,
key points and decisions, and action items. The leader needs to ensure that decisions
are executed. The leader may need to contact participants to remind them of their
assignments and solicit help if necessary.

11-5d Interacting in Zoom, Teams, and Other Virtual Meetings

Virtual meetings are real-time gatherings of dispersed participants who connect with
communication technology. These meetings have many purposes, including training
employees, making sales presentations, coordinating team activities, and talking to
customers. As we have seen, the COVID-19 pandemic instantly banned a majority of
office workers to the home office, and both employees and employers have embraced
the advantages of remote working. The traditional five-day work week is unlikely to
make a full comeback.
Once employers sort out the new, post-COVID workplace, perhaps employees
will successfully retain the new-found flexibility of telework while drawing stronger
boundaries between their work and leisure. Employers favor remote work because it
significantly boosted productivity during the pandemic, but this gain may have come
at the cost of teleworkers’ longer hours in the home office.65 Be it as it may, virtual
meetings are in your future.
Although the same good meeting management techniques discussed for face-to-
face meetings apply, additional skills and practices are important in virtual meetings.
The following best practices recommended by experienced meeting facilitators will
help you address premeeting issues such as technology glitches, scheduling across
time zones, and language challenges.66 Creating ground rules, anticipating limited
media richness, managing turn-taking, and humanizing the interaction with remote
members all achieve the best results during virtual meetings.

356 Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 Figure 11.10 E-Mail Meeting Minutes
Meeting proceedings are efficiently recorded in a summary distribution template that
provides subject, date, time, participant names, absentee names, meeting documents and
files, key points, decisions, and action items.

© MeetingSense Software/Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
Tue 06/28/2022

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

8
8
9

■■ Select the most appropriate technology. Decide whether audio- or video

conferencing is needed. Choose the appropriate program or application. Zoom and
Teams are two applications in heavy use.
■■ Ensure that all participants are able to use the technology. Coach attendees
who may need help before the session begins.
■■ Encourage participants to log in 15 minutes early. Some programs require
downloads and installations that can cause immense frustration if not done early.
■■ Be aware of different time zones. Use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to
minimize confusion resulting from mismatched local times. Avoid spanning a lunch
hour or holding someone overtime.
■■ Rotate your meeting time to be fair to all dispersed group members. Ensure
that everyone shares the burden of an inconvenient time.
■■ Decide what language to use. If the meeting language may be difficult for some
participants, think about using simple expressions and repeating major ideas.
Always follow up in writing.
■■ Explain how questions may be asked and answered. Many meeting programs
allow participants to virtually raise their hands using an icon on the computer screen
and to type in their questions.
■■ Ensure that it is clear who is speaking in audioconferences. Ask participants to
always say their names before beginning to comment.

Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings 357

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
 ■■ Remind the group to silence all electronic alerts and alarms. Ask participants
to mute their microphones when not speaking. Ask the group to silence all ringers
and buzzers and control background noise, or disruptions such as dogs barking,
telephones ringing, and toilets flushing will follow.
■■ Don’t multitask. Giving your full attention is critical. That includes texting and
checking e-mail.
■■ Anticipate the limitations of virtual technology. Given the lack of nonverbal cues,
be as precise as possible. Use simple language and summarize the discussion often.
Confirm your understanding of the discussion. Project an upbeat, enthusiastic, and
strong voice.
■■ Manage turn-taking. Ask questions of specific people. Invite each participant to
speak for 30 seconds without interruption. Avoid asking vague questions such as
Does everyone agree?
■■ Humanize virtual meetings. Build camaraderie and trust. Leave time for small talk
to establish a warm environment. Build trust and interest by logging in early and
greeting others as they join in.

Companies with a global reach or a distributed domestic workforce could not

function without teleconferencing. For Mozilla’s Chief Innovation Officer Katharina
Borchert, 70 percent of her daily meetings are video calls because her company has
many remote employees: “I cannot imagine a world without video calls anymore. Video
is equally important for my professional communication and for staying in touch with
friends and family back in Europe.”67 Figure 11.11 shows how athletic gear company
EverSports used video conferencing to meet virtually and design a new activity tracker.
Although many acknowledge that virtual meetings may not be as effective as face-
to-face meetings, virtual meetings are here to stay.68 Learning to plan and participate in
them professionally will enhance your career as a business communicator.

Figure 11.11 Understanding Video Conferencing

design: EverSports 1
sketch #1 sketch #1

Enter
sketch #1
Enter Enter Enter
www.meet

1. E-Mail Contact: 2. Virtual Meeting: 3. Design Collaboration:

Mark K., president of EverSports, When the video conference begins, Digital Interactive artists and
an athletic gear company in Seattle, WA, participants see live video of each EverSports managers use peer-to-peer
sends an e-mail to Jen S., chief designer at other’s faces on their screens. They software that allows them to share
Digital Interactive Partners in Tucson, AZ, look at photos of fitness trackers, spaces on each other’s computers.
to discuss a new fitness tracker. The e-mail share ideas, sketch designs on a The software enables them to take
includes meeting date and time and a link shared “virtual whiteboard,” and turns modifying the designs, and it
to launch the session. review contract terms. also tracks all the changes.

358 Chapter 11: Professionalism at Work: Business Etiquette, Teamwork, and Meetings

Copyright 2023 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.