Communication tips and Business letters

A ‘dinger’ to get attention at work?

Communication tips can be pretty funny. I subscribe to a Communication Tips Newsletter and the other day they sent out a tip that made me laugh.

The gist of it is that if you are having a hard time keeping order in meetings that you should bring in a bell and when someone starts getting off topic you should ring the bell.

Can you imagine being a work in a meeting and having someone ‘ding’ you for getting off topic? My initial reaction was that this seems like a great way to keep a kindergarten class on topic – but would it work in a business? Probably. Who would want the embarrassment of getting dinged by their boss in a meeting? I’m sure I would think twice before opening my mouth in a meeting.

The only problem with this tip is that it was sent out for use by professional business people. If you need a bell to keep a meeting on a track you probably have issues that can’t be solved by interrupting someone with a bell.

What’s a better way to keep a meeting on track? Create an agenda. Hand it out BEFORE the meeting with a business letter explaining what the purpose of the meeting is. Make sure that you give people enough time to contact you if they want to add something to the agenda.

At the meeting, make sure everyone has a fresh copy to take notes on and stick to the agenda. Instead of using a dinger to get attention, all you need to say is, “Let’s get back to where we were” and refer to your preparedness plans.

Leave the dinger at home – Treat professionals like professionals.