Running An Effective Meeting

Overall effective meeting management can be accomplished when the project manager understands and is capable of effectively executing the following steps:

1. Properly Prepare for the Meeting
2. Select an Appropriate Location
3. Provide Food and Drink
4. Provide Necessary Materials
5. Establish Working Knowledge of Meeting Topic, Objectives, and Content
6. Keep the Meeting Less than an Hour
7. Ensure Everyone Gets and Completes Any Pre-Meeting Task
8. Help the Group Establish Ground Rules
9. Conduct Individual Introductions at Start of Meeting
10. Generate and Disseminate an Agenda Prior to the Meeting
11. Guide the Discussion without Forcing the Direction
12. Close the Meeting with a call for any Remaining Topics that need to be Addressed
13. Follow-Up the Meeting with Meeting Minutes that Include Action Items with Agreed Upon Deadlines

Borrowed From Effective Meeting Management by Mr. Stacey King MBA

Surprise

I went to the Activity Directors office to talk to her one afternoon. Her office is in the activity room and is an opened space. I sat with my back to the room talking to her. She got up and walked out and I picked up an Avon book to look at. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man come up and get something out of the coat on the back of my chair. I thought it was my maintenance man who I have known for a long time and like to tease. I said "are you trying to touch me" and when he said "no" I knew I was busted. The voice was not who I thought it was. I turned around and it was someone else. The Activity Director was standing there laughing and I quickly said I'm sorry I thought you were someone else and hurried out of the room.

Locked In

I was doing my sanitation rounds in the kitchen at my facility this week. I was walking around looking at things and asking questions. I went into the dry storage and looked around. I went back out and checked the reach in cooler and asked where the freezer was. This was my first official sanitation rounds being new to the facility. The dietary aide said the walk in is in there. I trotted in opened the door and noticed there was a bar that moved but didn't pay much attention. The door closed. I started looking around making my notes. When I was done I went to the door and pushed. The door didn't budge. I pushed again, nothing. I noticed the bar and it was there to hold the door from closing. I guess I should have figured that out first. Well, I then began to panic. Of course I didn't have my cell phone. I beat on the door and screamed. No one came. I continued to freak out beating on the door. Well I started kicking the door and it finally popped opened. I was frozen and my throat hurt from screaming. I asked the dietary staff if they heard me. One guy said I heard you but when I went in you were coming out. When I told my friend who is also an administrator she said it would have been horrible if you died in there. No one could have kept a straight face at your funeral.

Compassion

Several years ago while working at a nursing home as the administrator the director of nursing died. The whole facility was devastated including the residents and staff. The work that we do is hard enough without something as traumatic as this occurring. This occurred on a Friday. On Monday we started having visits from the managers of other local facilities who brought cards and food for the staff. It was obvious that they had coordinated this because there was a different building and treat each day. As the week went by every nursing home in a 30 mile radius brought something to our facility. This goes to show that people who work in long term care regardless of competition for residents are loving caring people. We are all an extension of each other. I can't tell you how much this helped my facility get through this difficult time.

Nursing Home Humor

Never Say Never

It's funny how life often forces us to re-evaluate our goals. About 10 months ago I decided to step out of a permanent management position in long term care. I started looking for alternatives. I applied for numerous jobs for on line work, remote positions, hospital nursing, contacted former colleagues and finally was referred to a company that fills interim positions, consulting and mock surveys. Through this company I had the opportunity to work in assisted living, fill in as unit managers, directors of nursing, administrators and my favorite doing mock surveys. I enjoyed the work and was able to take time off when I wanted for how long I wanted. I have thoroughly enjoyed this. The problem is life sometimes gives us lemons so we have to make lemonade. My spouse developed a serious illness which has made my traveling job impossible for an indefinite amount of time. Well as he title states never say never, I left a permanent roll in long term care and now have the opportunity to go back and be the Administrator at a facility I spent about 10 years with. I never said I would never go back to a permanent roll or to that specific facility. I learned work ethic from my parents and learned to never burn bridges. I feel that this is what has allowed me to have the wonderful jobs and meet the great people I have. I hope to use what I have learned from my adventures to be a great leader. I m looking forward to where my career will care me next.

Cute Story

I have been covering as the administrator at a small nursing home for the past 3 weeks. I brought in items from home to use for national nursing home week. Today I decided to put the baskets in my car to take home. I put my purse and other things to take home in the basket and sat it down while I locked my door. In the mean time a resident was coming down the hall and casually looked at me and said "most executives use a brief case" and continued down the hall. I just laughed and gave her a hug. That made my day.