The Basics of Communication
by Jim Fuller
Published in Midwest Meetings Magazine
I remember the days when I could load all the technical equipment needed for a meeting into my Chevy Caprice and drive to Chicago. The equipment consisted of a microphone to be hooked up to the public address system in the room, an overhead projector or a few slide projectors and a screen. Now it's not uncommon for 10-20,000 pounds of computers, video projectors, RGB distribution amplifiers, audio analyzers, speakers, switchers, stackers, cables and more to be used in staging a meeting.
Today's technology has greatly expanded the opportunities to make meetings exciting and effective. Laser light shows, 3-D talking heads, computerized game shows, satellite hook-ups, audience response systems, fully-integrated computer and laser disk presentations are just a few of the possibilities. But it's important not to get so caught up in the possibilities that you lose sight of the objective. Whether you call it motivation, education, new product introduction, training or whatever, the objective is really communication. Technology is an advancement only if it is used to enhance the communication of your message.
We've staged meetings with more bells and whistles than New York Harbor and come away wondering what they were about because they went off in a dozen different directions. We've worked on others that were so cohesive from beginning to end, the objective was continuously clear. In my experience, the most successful meetings have these key things in common:
· Firm Direction - Long before the meeting, people at the company sat down together and agreed on what the meeting was to be about and what they wanted to accomplish. They decided who would speak and for how long. They came up with a theme or hired someone to do it for them. They communicated the direction to everyone involved and held firmly to it. Changing direction in mid-stream, or worse yet, late in the meeting production process, is a sure way to muddy your message.
· Close Coordination - The best meetings always seem to have a person to champion their cause, someone assigned to see that the presenters aren't redundant, speeches are delivered on time, production schedules are adhered to and questions are answered. The champion sees the big picture and understands how all the pieces must come together to achieve the final objective. Your champion may be an internal or external meeting planner or producer or coordinator. Whoever he or she is, this person must be given the authority it takes to get the job done.
· Effective Presenters - CEOs, CFOs, IS Managers, Sales Directors, and MBAs may be the very best at their jobs, but they are not professional communicators or speech writers. And virtually none of them have the time required to write an effective presentation that communicates clearly. That's why we too often see presenters walk on stage and ramble on for two hours to audiences that have fallen asleep. It's also why production budgets get blown due to overtime charges incurred in visualizing speeches that come in at the last minute. The companies which hold the most effective meetings do whatever it takes to make their people look and sound good at the podium while making the most efficient use of their time. Speech writers, rehearsals and teleprompters can help increase the effectiveness of your presenters.
· Energy - No one consciously plans a boring meeting, but they happen. They don't have to. At 8 a.m., even the strongest coffee needs help in waking up an audience and holding their attention. A laser light extravaganza with Dolby surround sound will do the trick, but so will some lively walk-in music, and at a much lower cost. Energy comes from recognizing that people, even those who work for you and have a vested interest in what you have to say, have short attention spans. Wake them often by dividing your meeting into short segments amplified with bright graphics and legible text, highlighted by music, videos and some excitement or humor. Give people a reason to hear your message.
Meeting technology has changed tremendously over the years, and in upcoming columns, I'll be talking about some new and exciting developments. But the basics of meetings haven't changed since I've been in the business. The objective is still communication. Get the message across in a memorable way and then anything else you accomplish is gravy.