07/ 20/ 2006
by Vicki Gerson
As a small-business owner, you don't want to be ignored or interrupted when having a meeting or a serious conversation with an individual or a group. But when an interruption does happen, it's important not to get flustered. Whether at a company meeting or just meeting with one or two individuals, it is necessary to maintain control of the conversation.
Here are some suggestions to prevent disruption of your thoughts. These techniques will also keep you focused, so you can have the conversation you need with your employees.
Don't present important information in a hallway conversation. When you want to convey information to an employee, do it in a location where your chances of being interrupted are less. In a hallway, people will naturally stop and chat. They don't realize you may be trying to convey a crucial message to an employee.
Hold all calls. Do not answer your phone during a meeting. If possible, ask your assistant to take all calls or just let them roll to voicemail. Being interrupted could allow the conversation to drift away from significant issues.
Insist that cell phones or beepers are turned off at meetings. If you take this action, participants won't be able to make a call or return a call during the meeting. It seems obvious that people would have the common sense to shut these gadgets off, but many don't. In fact, many people see nothing wrong with having conversations in the room while you are trying to conduct a meeting.
Don't allow employees to leave the meeting to make or receive phone calls. Too many times, you're trying to present information, but an employee gets up and talks outside the meeting room on his or her phone. Not only is it disruptive to get up and leave the room, it also becomes a parade as employees go in and out to make these calls. Insist that no one leave the room while a meeting is in progress. When employees leave the room and talk on their phones, they surely don't get the entire message you are presenting. All they have is disjointed information.
However, if the meeting is going to last more than an hour, conduct the meeting for 40 to 50 minutes and allow a 10-minute break for coffee, phone calls or the restroom. The first time you institute this policy, if employees don't return in the allotted time, wait. Then make the announcement that you expect employees to return on time because the meeting won't continue without them. With a repeat offender, you may need to have a private conversation telling the individual you won't tolerate him or her making everyone wait.
Define "urgent." Your employees may believe this policy is unfair. Tell them that the exception to the rule will be a sick or injured family member or a pending birth. An office secretary will interrupt the meeting if that happens. This allows everyone at the meeting to concentrate on your important presentation.
Don't make employees dread conversations or meetings with you. Now that you can get everyone's attention, the success of the conversation or meeting rests upon your ability to present your points clearly and concisely. Either specify what it is you want, generate ideas to solve a problem or set deadlines and allocate responsibilities. Stay positive and whenever possible use a timely joke or an anecdote.
Your employees will not only hear you, but they will also listen and respond positively to proposals that are well organized. No longer will you feel as if you are battling the elements trying to get everyone's attention and your message across.
