My Tip of the Week: Preparing for Your First Meeting
Are you ready for your first meeting of the year? It's the one time when you're most likely to get a lot of new folks attending, and it can really set a tone.
For better or worse, people will judge your group based on what happens at that meeting. If you make people feel welcome and needed, listen to what newcomers have to say, and keep the meeting to less than an hour, you've laid the groundwork to build some momentum. But if that meeting doesn't go well, you will have missed a chance to bring in some new recruits. First impressions are lasting, so you may not easily get that chance again.
Are you ready for your first meeting of the year? It's the one time when you're most likely to get a lot of new folks attending, and it can really set a tone. For better or worse, people will judge your group based on what happens at that meeting. If you make people feel welcome and needed, listen to what newcomers have to say, and keep the meeting to less than an hour, you've laid the groundwork to build some momentum. But if that meeting doesn't go well, you will have missed a chance to bring in some new recruits. First impressions are lasting, so you may not easily get that chance again. You'll find lots of tips for running a successful meeting on the Meetings/Robert's Rules page at ptotoday.com. A few of my favorites:
The bottom line: Keep the meeting moving, don't get bogged down in details, ask your veteran members to make personal contact with the new people, and demonstrate during the meeting that you're willing to listen to new ideas. Oh, and avoid insider talk -- make sure you explain things so that everybody understands what's going on. Do that, and you'll be well on your way toward building involvement. <
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