Ezine Arcive

The Award-Winning Monthly Resource for Professionals

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OUTCOME FOCUS REPORT
Circulation 19,500
Vol 46 – September 26, 2003
Publisher: Anne Warfield
mailto:ezine@imp.us.com
888-imp-9421 or 952-921-9421
http://www.impressionmanagement.com
c) Impression Management Professionals 2003
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A special welcome to our many new subscribers from Marketing Seek,
World Wide and SelfImprovementNewsletters.com and our many other signup
partners.

By subscription only! 

Welcome!  Use as a training tool:  Present the situation to the group and
have them brainstorm how they would best handle the situation. Then share
the Outcome Focus answer and see how it relates or differs from solutions
the group found.

Go ahead and pass this to friends. If you receive this from a friend and
you want to receive your own copies, just email
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IN THIS ISSUE 
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1) What's In The News? 
2) Outcome Focus Situation/Solution
3) Anne's Aha 
4) What To Watch For Next Time 
5) Resources To Learn More

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1.   What's In The News?
=========================================================
Learn more about IMP's Monthly Presentation Skills Seminar at the IMP
Institute in Minneapolis, MN!

Upcoming Presentation Skills Seminar Dates: 

OCT 20-21, 2003
NOV 17-18, 2003

Upcoming Negotiation Skills Seminar Dates:
NOV 20-21, 2003

Follow this link for more information,
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/coaching.shtml

or,

email me at mailto:Paul@imp.us.com 


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2.   Here's This Months Outcome Focus Situation/Solution  
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How To Handle Negative People During A Meeting
 
Situation: Dear Anne, I often have to run meetings and there are times
that negative people seem to dominate the meeting.  I watch the whole room
clam up and the tone of the meeting changes.  I don't know what I should
do during these times as I feel the meeting falls apart and takes a whole
new direction.  How can I manage these negative people better?
 
Outcome desired: 
 
You want to keep a positive tone at your meetings, encourage
participation, and eliminate negativity so that the meetings are well
attended.
 
Other Person's Perspective:  
 
I have found that most negative people don't see themselves as negative. 
They truly believe they are just voicing what every one else is thinking
but not willing to say.  Unfortunately most people's way of dealing with
negativity is to become silent.  This encourages the negative person to
keep talking because they believe the silence is AGREEMENT with them.
 
On the other hand, you most likely don't want to embarrass the person as
well.  The other person may believe they are just sharing and they may not
even hear the negativity in their voice.   Then, of course, there are
those people who are just bitter and believe people are all out for
themselves.
 
How to best handle:
 
This is a tough one and it depends on a couple of variables--are the
people peers of yours, are they from your own company, and how do they
perceive you right now.  Since I don't know any of those I am going to
assume that these are meetings within your own company and with people
that would be your peers.
 
Most importantly reflect on the topic of the meeting.  Let me give you
three variations based on the meeting type.
 
1.  If it is a meeting that requires a lot of sharing and solution solving
you can say the following:
 
"Since this meeting is largely about sharing positive solutions to
problems we face, I am going to ask that we all focus on solutions, not
the reasons for the problem.  At first I would like all ideas offered and
then we will go back and look at how to implement them.  If we start
moving down a negative path or a path of trying to figure out the "how"
before we have addressed all the ideas, you will hear me say, "let's table
that and go on'."
 
2.  If it is a normal meeting and the negativity is getting high, you can
do the following:
 
"I am going to stop for a 5 minute break.  I ask that we all use this time
to refocus our energy so we can come back and participate positively in
the meeting.  If you don't feel you can do that, please feel free to
remove your things during the break and leave. I want to make sure that
the limited time we have stays focused for the group."
 
3.  If it is one or two people that are chronically negative, you can do
the following:
 
Meet with them separately at a time outside of the meeting.  Here you
would say something like, "What do you need from me in order to feel
comfortable sharing positive solutions and input with the group at our
meetings?"  Then let them talk.  Here is where you will find out if they
are just negative or if they don't know how to share their ideas
positively.
 
If you are running a meeting it is your obligation to keep the meeting a
positive, proactive and safe environment for the group to share and
explore. That may mean at times that your meetings become feisty as people
banter ideas around and challenge each other.  That is all a healthy part
of a meeting.
 
What we are talking about here is negative comments and responses that
stop the group rather than challenge the group to open up.  In those
instances life is too short to let a few affect the entire group.
 
I have personally used the five minute break conversation when I have had
negative people in a training seminar.  To the comments above I added the
following: "When we come back from the break, I expect everyone that
returns to fully participate.  If you don't feel you can do that for
whatever reason, I respectfully ask you to remove your things during the
break and explain to your boss why you chose to leave.  I am perfectly
fine with that.  My role is to make sure that this environment is the best
for learning and sharing as it possibly can be.  To that I am committed
and I promise to all of you that return that I will do all I can to make
this environment safe for you to learn."
 
I have found the energy I spend trying to divert the negativity takes away
from what the group actually learns in a session and has a BIG negative
impact.  Life is too short for that so nip negativity before it drains
your energy!

SPECIAL NOTE:

Send Anne your situation to be included in an upcoming E-zine.
mailto:ezine@imp.us.com

************** Want To Perfect Your Skills? *************

Order Anne's Book, Outcome Thinking: Getting Results 
Without The Boxing Gloves for $24.95.

http://www.impressionmanagement.com/products.shtml

Save $5.00 when ordering online.  Just enter the Discount Code: IMP101
(all caps) when checking out.

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3.   Anne's "Aha"   
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When you are presenting there is nothing more frustrating than the person
that constantly interrupts you with questions. They can make you lose your
edge, lose your thought process, and can often lead to complete
disruption.

So how can you handle them without being seen as a tyrant?

1) Keep your answers to their questions brief and then say, "If you would
like more information I would be happy to explain in more detail later.
That will allow me to respect every person's time in this room." As you
say this look at the person, than look around the room so each person in
the room knows you won't hold them up.

2) If you get a lot of these "clarifying questions" when you present, then
you are not being clear upfront. You are most likely trying to "share
information" and justify why you did what you did. This confuses the
audience and causes them to ask questions to make sure they understand
what you said. You need to go back and tighten up your presentation.

Two more tips next month.....


****************
Quotable Quotes:
****************

"Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings."  C.D. Jackson

We need each other's differences.  Some of us may be great initiators, but
we need completers too.  Each of us can supply what the other needs.

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4.    NEXT TIME:  Another situation submitted by you.
==========================================================

Send Anne your situation for inclusion in the E-zine.
Email your situation to: mailto:ezine@imp.us.com

==========================================================

5.   I Want More Resources So I Can Perfect My Skills
==========================================================


Products: Outcome Thinking Book $24.95 *
Outcome Thinking CD ROM $49.95
Communicating More Effectively Book $14.95
(Body Language)
Body Language Video $99.95
Success Negotiating Audio Tape $14.95
GOALS Set $39.95

I WANT IT ALL: COMPLETE PACKAGE, Regularly $245. Special price for
Subscribers, $197.95, includes two free gifts.

Order Online: http://www.impressionmanagement.com/products.shtml

*SAVE $5.00 on Anne's Outcome Thinking Book,
Type in the "Discount Code", IMP101 (All Caps) at check-out.

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FREE ARTICLES AND BACK ISSUES
==========================================================

We have many articles available for your publication, company newsletter,
etc.  Articles can be viewed at
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/articles/index.shtml

All you have to do is print the article in its entirety along with the by
line at top and the credits, and complete contact information at the end
of each article.  I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too.

Back Issues of the Outcome Focus E-zine can be viewed at
http://www.impressionmanagement.com/ezine/index.shtml

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==========================================================
About Anne and IMP
==========================================================

Anne Warfield, CSP*
President
Impression Management Professionals
7200 France Avenue South, Suite 224
Minneapolis, MN 55435
952-921-9421
888-imp-9421
952-921-9420 Fax
Email: mailto:ezine@imp.us.com  **
Visit us at: http://www.impressionmanagement.com  

"A true leader is not one you look up to because they are the best. A true
leader is one that draws the best out in you." Anne Warfield

*CSP- Certified Speaking Professional; a designation held by only 7% of
all speakers nationwide

Member of the National Speakers Association

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