Meetings that Produce Results

The following is an adaptation from Run Your Business Like a Fortune 100: 7 Principles for Boosting Profits (John Wiley & Sons, May 2009).

After you meet with your employees, how confident are you that the goal of that meeting has been accomplished? As a leader in your business, you rely on employees to carry out your ideas and work toward your goals. But you also want to understand the status of your business from those on the front lines, as well as get their ideas for improving your business.

Consultative dialog (CD) focuses on the exchange of ideas and information within a framework of business goals, rather than the more common one-way communication flows that characterize many meetings. The purpose of CD is for attendees to consult and participate actively. This involves interaction, give and take, cooperation, and action.

Organizing Consultative Dialogs

The process for organizing successful consultative dialogs consists of the following steps: