Meeting Voice, Do You Have It?
It would not take you long to find someone in your workplace who absolutely dreads going to meetings. Are the meetings really that boring and uninformative? Are they a waste of time? Does someone have meeting voice?
Meeting voice is a condition. Many people chairing meetings have it. It is Charlie Brown’s teacher. So now, you know.
Attention Span
How is it in a first world country where there is so much technology people have stopped listening? Many people believe that their uptake on information is at astounding levels. So much so that they don’t even need to listen any more. When in doubt they may just ask Siri.
The reality may be that there is so much noise, so much clutter, that people have stopped listening.
Savvy Marketers
This drives the marketer crazy. It requires a degree in psychology to reach the target audience. The savvy marketer will find a voice though. It is well known that meeting voice won’t reach the target audience, build connections, or sell products. Mad Men knew this in the 1960’s and it is still true today.
People probably aren’t going to listen closely if it is hard. The easy route is faster, safer, and requires less energy.
Technology Surf
Mobile is growing in popularity. People surf their smartphones for nearly everything. They don’t do a deep dive, they don’t want the details. They want headliners, fast punch lines and sub sixty-second videos. People are scanning, they aren’t reading or studying.
What happens with all of this activity? Certainly there is miscommunication. Nobody is reading the fine print, details don’t matter, and who needs to learn when you can just ask.
What does this have to do with meeting voice? Meeting voice is a condition you don’t want. If you’re going to speak you’re going to have to be direct. Hours and hours of meetings are likely not effective.
No More Meeting Voice
There is so much noise in people’s heads. If even they hear you, it doesn’t mean they’re listening. They may be present, but they are not engaged. Some will claim information overload, others will miss the call to action completely.
If you are going to have effective meetings, you are going to have lose the meeting voice. Otherwise, you’ll notice more of the technology prayer. A condition easily spotted when a person is surfing their smartphone while holding it just below the tabletop.
Think more like the marketer. It will help.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
