Floral pros shared their best tactics for kick-starting meetings in the latest issue of Floral Management.
New year, new projects, new goals — which could mean lots of meetings. Whether meeting to brainstorm new sales strategies or just bring your staff up to speed on changes, it is important to make sure attendees are engaged from the start.
We asked several floral pros in the January/February issue of Floral Management for their tactics to kick-start meetings so attendees feel engaged and ready to contribute. Here’s what they had to say:
“We start our weekly all-company meeting with a one-minute meditation. I begin with deep, cleansing breaths and then guide the team to experience a new intention, to exhale their challenges and inhale knowing that the solution will present itself. We change it each week to expose them to a wide variety of techniques. The hope is to ground everyone for a positive meeting as well as encourage self-care across our work family.”
-Lisa Roeser, AAF, CEO and Founder, Fifty Flowers
“My favorite conversation builder that I learned from a rabbi counselor works in any situation to get the conversation started. Start with three questions: What was the best thing that happened to you today? What was the worst? If you could change anything about today, what would it be? Applying this same technique to our industry, the questions could be: What was the best thing that happened to you out on delivery? What was the worst? What is your personal and team goal to achieve this week?”
-Robbyn Repp, AAF, Owner, Petal to the Metal Flowers
“I believe that every meeting should have the following: a start time (in my company, if you were late you had to sing a song); an end time (stick to it); and an agenda so that people come prepared. Always start by requesting positive feedback — either personal or professional — before tackling challenges. Another great way to begin is with a brain teaser, riddle or thoughtful question, like, ‘Who is your number-one customer?’”
-Barry Gottlieb, Motivational Coach, Author and Consultant
“We all remember that boss who called meetings so the attendees could ‘rubber stamp’ or validate what leadership has already decided. This stifles creativity. Open meetings with objective data and questions, not conclusions and solutions.”
-Chris Drummond, AAF, PFCI, President, Penny’s by Plaza Flowers
For more ideas to help manage your shop, read the Hands On section in Floral Management.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the managing editor of SAF NOW.
