Director Planning to Hold My Own Meetings in 2012...Yikes!

[pamperedlinda]

I have been attending my Director's meetings since I started with PC 6 years ago. And, have been sharing meetings with her since I promoted. I've decided to start holding my own meetings beginning 2012...I'm excited and a little freaked-out about it too!

I have 14 consultants on my team, 12 of them live in the Atlanta area. We are scattered all over, up to 70 miles apart; I live south of the city, some of my team live not far from me, but others live on the north and west sides of town. Because of the distance and our horrible rush-hour traffic, most of them won't come to our Tuesday night meeting, can't really say that I blame them, most of them have already worked a full day too. I'm planning to hold a Sunday afternoon meeting. Several have already told me that they would make the effort to come to that and that excites me. At our combined Tuesday meeting I usually only have 1 or 2 that will come on a regular basis and that is just depressing for me.

I'm hoping this will make me a better director for my team. I feel like I've been 'riding my Director's coat-tails' for the longest time and am hoping that this will also help my team bond (they hardly know each other), to feel more accountable and put more effort into their own business.

I'm really excited about this decision.

Now, I just need to figure out how I want my meetings to flow. I plan to mostly follow the agenda that PC gives us, but I want to put my own spin on them and have some fun! Trying to figure out an inexpensive, easy but inspiring reward system for them too. Most of my team are hobbiest (hoping this will change) so I definately want something that will be acheivable for them as well. I want everyone to walk away from the meeting feeling inspired, appreciated and ready to take it to the next level!

ok peeps....lay the tips and ideas on me!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I need to do this. For all the reasons you just named.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Forgot to mention that one of my team members is in Italy and another in Hawaii. I want to Skype or somehow video conference them in for at least part if not all of the meeting. Anyone have any tips on that?

 

[Chef Kearns]

Way to go Linda!! I started doing my own meetings this year. Another Director and I share the responsibilities since both of our local teams are relatively small. It has been fun, challenging, depressing and rewarding all at the same time. I can definitely sense and see the difference in how my team relates to me and their performance since I stepped out and began doing this. Good luck to you!

I do not currently Skype in my out of town team, but I would love to hear more about it and how successful it is. How do you overcome the buffering issue?

 

[PCJenni]

Go for it! You CAN do it! I think you will find your team actually grows because you are standing on your feet rather than the "tails" as you said. It is scary but remember this is Pampered Chef not Perfect Chef!

 

[finley1991]

YAY LINDA!!! I think it's going to be great for you!I just went to holding 2 meetings in September and it was a hit! I do my local meeting on the 1st Saturday morning 10-11:30am. I do a meeting 1 hour north on the 1st Monday 6:30-8pm. My goal is to add another one 1 hour south in 2012. I will plan to do that on the 1st Tuesday. I have 2 consultants who have volunteered their homes and are excited. My attendance is MUCH better and the ones who attend the northern meeting are all less than 1 year in the biz so they are excited!I always start our meetings with an open discussion of what their needs are... we address those and then I go through the meeting planner (time permitting). I always cover anything in the planner that is important. I love the meeting planner. It can be totally corny and I play it up. It makes them laugh. (And I just read that if people laugh together, they bond quicker.) For years I was doing meetings with 1-2 in attendance and it was a bummer. Now it's a priority for them. I have two that come to the local meeting who are hospitality and are darling so they are a great addition. Now I am averaging 5-6 at each location.And for the last 2 months, I've had 1/2 of the team actively submitting shows!!! In the past, I've had about 1/3 submitting. I also think playing up the meeting on our TEAM FB page has helped. I'm approaching the meetings in a Host Coaching way... doing the 3 contacts with myself to keep myself on track. I send out a FB invite as well as a team e-mail for those not on FB. I make reminder calls using Phonevite. I also have those who attended send out testimonial e-mails of what they learned or liked best. I'm going to suggest they start posting that on our FB page as well.I DO NOT MAKE ANY FOOD! I clean my place and ask them to bring a recipe if they can. I provide water. If they want coffee there is a Dunkin' Donuts on the corner. I make it really easy on myself and it's showing them that it's easy too.Good luck! You're going to do great!!!!! PS: For my consultant who lives 4 hours away, we google chat her in. I can't figure out Skype! We sit her on a chair and she looks like Max Headroom! But it works and she loves attending the meetings.Lastly, and I can't remember who I got this tip from, ask each consultant who is coming to print the flyers they need from the meeting planner. That way I'm not wasting ink and making more copies than I need. Plus, it's a good excuse to make the reminder calls!

 

[Sheila]

Way to go girl! You can do it!!!

 

[baychef]

Linda this is a great idea and you will do well! I will have to check with my friend Nikki whom some of you know. She has downline all over the place and I think one is moving to Germany so she Skype's her meetings. Although my team is not as spread out as her's, I still want to learn how to do this even if it is for individual one on one training.

Colleen, I too hold 2 meetings. One is an hour north of my house and the other about 1/2 hour south of my house to make it more accomodating. Trying to coordinate with my downline directors so we can all offer our meetings to the entire downline so we can reach as many as possible.