Sunday Newsletter - Meaningful Conversations (21st April 2024)

Hello !!

Happy Sunday!

I hope you are peaceful and have had a restful day. 
I have walked my dogs this morning and plan on baking scones after I send this to you. 

I am drinking Earl Grey and having a cheeky custard cream. What are you drinking today?

This week, writing and communication have been top of mind. 

I am revamping my brand, content focus and website over the coming weeks and that includes my Newsletter and Podcast.
I feel they aren’t quite hitting the mark and I really want to deliver what you want, so that you get massive value going forward. 

It would be a real help to me if you could complete a 5-question feedback form for me please. And as an ethical bribe, there’s a gift of appreciation for you at the end. 

Here’s the link:
Newsletter Feedback Form

Thank you in advance! 

Family Meetings:  

When my son was growing up and things were manic we introduced family meetings, once per week on a Friday.  

It was an opportunity for each of us to honestly express:  

 ·      what was going well,  

 ·      what wasn’t working for us,  

 ·      what we were aiming to do next week  

 ·      Actions steps, who did what by when, and commitment to it and what we would like to see change, if anything.  

Yes, a talking stick was involved, as were the sticker charts and whiteboards, but there were also guidelines and agreed intention.  

When we used this, things really did improve. Warning though - the honest communication came with surprises.  

Having a structure, purpose, guidelines and agreement was crucial to this family meeting system working. And it’s the same in business. 

This week’s Business Boost is all about getting the best out of meetings. I use this process outside of meetings, for writing, content creation, organising projects in my home and so much more. I hope you find it useful…  

This Weeks Business Boost 

The 3 Phases of Great Meetings 

Meetings can either be a bane or a boon to a business.  

On the negative side, meetings can be a huge waste of time if no one knows why they’re there, the meeting is poorly led, and nothing worthwhile is accomplished.  

When a meeting bombs, everybody involved loses. We lose precious time, money, momentum, synergy and perhaps most importantly—relationship capital. 

One of the primary reasons to hold a meeting is to build and develop relationships (especially family relationships in times when you just don't see each other often enough).

Without the engaged help of others, we can accomplish very little in life. But a poorly run meeting may diminish relationship capital instead of building it. 

A well-run meeting consists of three phases: before, during and after.

Before the Meeting 

Have you ever been invited to a meeting but have no idea why?
If so, you know how half-hearted you went into that meeting: low expectations, cynical, preoccupied, etc. 

For this reason, before we even announce a meeting, we must determine: 

 ·      What is the purpose of the meeting? 

 ·      Who should attend? 

 ·      What should be our expectations and take-aways from the meeting? 

 ·      What should be on the agenda? 

 ·      Where will we hold the meeting? 

 ·      How long will the meeting last? 

 ·      What else do we need to prepare before the meeting? 

 ·      What technology or visual aids will we need for the meeting? 

 ·      How can we most effectively invite the attendees and communicate the information they’ll need? 

(As I mentioned before, you can use a variation of this as prep for any task or project).

We want to ensure that we really need a meeting, that we invite all key players to the meeting, and that the attendees know exactly why they’re coming and what’s expected of them.
We want people to come to the meeting expecting to walk away with more than they came with. 

 
During the Meeting 

As mentioned above, we often forget that a primary purpose of any meeting is to build relationships. For this reason, we must plan our meetings with relationships in mind. We should seek to accommodate those we invite, create a safe environment, and ensure that everyone leaves with a clear understanding of the outcomes of the meeting. 

The purpose of your meeting may drive specific elements of the meeting, but below are some common ones:

Meeting Elements 

1. Welcome and thanks.
Even in an informal meeting, welcome your attendees and thank them for being there. 

You may wish to express how valuable they are to the success of the meeting’s outcomes. Also, cover any logistics here such as location of restrooms, instructions regarding refreshments or a meal, the schedule, etc. 

2. Agenda and goals.
Clearly provide an agenda for the meeting and the expected goals. Remind people why they are there and what you’re about to discuss. Take Murphy’s Third Law of Meetings to heart: “The time spent discussing any given topic is in inverse proportion to the importance of that topic.” 

3. Meeting guidelines.
This element is often missed by many. Guidelines refer to a very short discussion of how we agree we will conduct ourselves in this meeting. The group (or your family) generates these “ground rules,” which ensures buy-in. 

Typically, the ground rules are things like: 

 a. Anybody can participate in the discussion 

 b. Any idea is worthy of consideration 

 c. No one hogs the conversation 

 d. Stay on topic 

 e. Respect each other and each other’s views 

 The nature of the meeting you hold will influence the meeting guidelines.

4. Facilitate don’t dictate.
The best meetings are those we facilitate. That means that the leader doesn’t do all the talking. In fact, it’s often best to limit our verbal contributions to asking questions and summarizing what the group has concluded.

A good facilitator draws people out and ensures that everyone has an opportunity to contribute to the conversation. If you already have all the answers, you don’t need a meeting—just send a memo. 

5. Assign responsibilities.

This does not have to be done by edict, but the facilitator can ask for volunteers or make suggestions as to who is most qualified to take on a particular task.

Make sure that everyone knows: Who? What? How much? By when? And any other necessary details. 

6. Close the meeting.

Thank all the attendees for being there. Summarize any decisions. Establish a time and place for a follow-up meeting if applicable.
Leave the meeting on a high note and pay attention to relationships. 

 A well-run meeting can be a tremendous tool for getting things done. But no one wants to listen to the boss drone on and on. Nor do we want to waste our time in a meeting that should never have taken place.

But a well-planned, well-led meeting can build teamwork and enable us to accomplish far more than we could on our own - whether for your business, your relationship or your whole family. 

Choosing Happy Podcast Update 

As I mentioned earlier, I am revamping and reorganising my content creation.
For ease of production and a more even spread of content release times, I am changing the publishing time of the podcast to Wednesday mornings.

I am also considering adding a mini-pod on a Saturday, which will be no longer than 15 minutes and will be less formal, more fun and based around a hot topic or experience for me from that week (life or business). A bit more personal, yet really useful.

It’s the 63rd Episode of the Podcast this week, and you can access it on Wednesday 24^th April 2024 at 10 am – All about happiness and compassion and how they contribute to aliveness, motivation and true success. 

All previous episodes are available…
You can listen on your favourite podcast host or on the website at www.choosinghappypodcast.com 

Also before I go, 2 quick things: 

#1 – I have set up a special coaching offer for May 2024 to help anyone who feels like they need a breakthrough or a clarity session around now. You can find out more here:
May Coaching Offer

#2 – I am also still putting the finishing touches to a new 1 Year Mastermind program. I am rejigging the focus and content to really home in on helping a group of like-minded, business owners thrive through the chaos. They will have access to training, guest experts, peer mentoring, 1-1 coaching and strategy sessions, Mastermind days, community and accountability to rock their businesses through disruptive and unusual times.
Again, drop me an email if you’d like to have advance notification. 

That's it for this week! 

I wish you peace, laugh out loud moments, joyful surprises, resilience, and protection at this time. May love, and healing surround you. May your families and friends be safe and well. 

The coffee and a chat offer is always there, I am only an email away. 

I hope you have a week blessed with opened hearted compassion, high vibes, joy filled days, amazing health, prosperity, grace and ease! 

Heather 

Heather V Masters 

Chief Coach, Trainer and Facilitator of Magic  

Taking Your Business Online and Choosing Happy Podcast 

Email: [email protected] or [email protected] 

P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you: 

#1: I just launched a new Coffee and Catchup Live on my YouTube and Rumble Channels (Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning – 10.30 am – live). I'm putting a ton of energy into creating heaps of valuable live content that I think you'll like. It’s my aim to create a healthy habit of live content that serves you. Come check out my channel, and give me a like and subscribe.  

#2: Strategy Calls 

As entrepreneurs, sometimes we just need an hour with another like-minded person to figure out what to focus on next. And to keep it simple. And to identify our next, impactful, action steps.  

Sometimes you’re too close to figure that out for yourself. 

How often do you take time out to move away from the doing in your business, and focus on the big picture, reviewing the dream and getting to the nitty gritty stuff that niggles you every day? 

In the 1-1 strategy sessions I help you cut through the fog and get crystal clear on your next steps toward next level results - more clients, more sales, more effective marketing, tech clarity and simplicity – whatever it is for you. 

If you are interested, drop me a message and I will send you full details and how to apply. 

#3: Follow me on LinkedIn for more Tech, strategy, systems, marketing tips, and happiness-building. 

P.P.S.  

If you have something you want to ask, drop me an email and Iet's get your questions answered. 

Email: [email protected]