The Meeting Introduction for Large Groups

Submitted by mauzenne on Sun, 08/10/2008 - 05:41.
in

This cast describes how to use the Manager Tools Meeting Introduction Tool For Large Groups - up to 100 Attendees!

We get asked all the time, "how big a group have you ever used the Meeting Introduction Tool with?" The answer is 110.

It is Mark's favorite Manager Tool because everyone can use it, it works so darn well, and it's TOTALLY against his natural inclination to "take up SO much time on fluff". And yet, when he has tried to NOT use it, trainings and meetings inevitably are less effective – sometimes enormously so. So, we don't use it because it makes natural sense, we use it because it's so incredibly effective. The definition of a professional executive is someone who does what is effective whether they like to or not.

So, if you want to use the Introduction Tool for a big group, we explain how in this cast.


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misstenacity's picture
Submitted by misstenacity on Mon, 08/11/2008 - 06:23.

It may sound daunting at first blush,

It may sound daunting at first blush, but this was demonstrated so effectively at the MT Conference. Kudos on making a group of 100 feel like they were a group of 10 when it came to personalizing every individual in the room.

I took a picture of my drawing, as well as the room with many others' taped up on the walls.

US101's picture
Submitted by US101 on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 01:00.

The SF conference did this faster than

The SF conference did this faster than any previous conference. I didn't think people would keep to 30 seconds, but they did. Having Mike Swensen say "10 seconds" really helped.

mahorstman's picture
Submitted by mahorstman on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 01:45.

Thanks Jon! That was our final step

Thanks Jon!

That was our final step in finalizing this cast...making sure it would wotk with THAT big a group - all 110.

Mark

HMac's picture
Submitted by HMac on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 21:51.

Mark: This SO fits the adage you've

Mark: This SO fits the adage you've mentioned that "Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from making poor judgments." When I've designed training sessions and reviewed draft agendas in advance, somebody ALWAYS comments on how excessive the time seems for introductions/warmups.

Yet my experience is exactly the same as yours: participants ALWAYS get more out of sessions and have more positive comments when we include a structured, interactive intro.

And yet, there's always that pressure to cut it out. The person who taught me learning design used to say: "You want the most efficient way to deliver training? Just cut out all the interactive and participation stuff. Nobody will learn anything, but you'll cover an amazing amount of content."

Keep fighting the good fight!

-Hugh

fchalif's picture
Submitted by fchalif on Wed, 08/13/2008 - 02:27.

The MT Conference is the greatest

The MT Conference is the greatest example of the DO of this tool.
I encourage all listeners to go a conference. So many of the MT tools are used by the MT team.

I find it interesting that Jon states that the SF conference did it faster than any previous conference. I remember this being the case at the Newark conference!
Clearly Mike and Mark use the WWW\TALA tool to improve from opportunity to opportunity.

Keep it up.

mahorstman's picture
Submitted by mahorstman on Wed, 08/13/2008 - 07:32.

We eat our own dogfood! Sometimes it's

We eat our own dogfood! Sometimes it's tasty, sometimes we have opportunities to improve. ;-)

Mark

alulak's picture
Submitted by alulak on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 01:06.

I just used the SNOKAM for part of a

I just used the SNOKAM for part of a warm up for a smaller group, and I am genuinely impressed with the results. Another trick for the tool kit, and not the first one from your casts.

Thanks for the tip.

I'm sending four Assoc Managers to Atlanta. Looking forward to hearing what they have to say about the conference.

Al

mahorstman's picture
Submitted by mahorstman on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 14:23.

Al- Thanks for the kind words, and

Al-

Thanks for the kind words, and for sending your associates. We'll do our best to help them grow.

Mark

leftistelf's picture
Submitted by leftistelf on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 00:36.

i cant seem to find the earlier podcast

i cant seem to find the earlier podcast referenced by this one. Could you post a link to that podcast?

jhack's picture
Submitted by jhack on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 09:34.

http://www.manager-tools.com/2005/12/dec

http://www.manager-tools.com/2005/12/december-2005-member-only-podcast/

John