Oakridge Style: The Occasion Fall Edition
byThis summer Oakridge Centre launched The Occasion, an online resource which is the good guest’s guide to attending any event in style. The fall edition of The Occasion was recently published featuring tips for attending business events.
Tips for The Business Lunch include “The Invite”:
While lunch with a potential client or business partner is often more productive and informal than an office meeting, it’s important to be respectful of your lunch date’s time and position. A busy, high-powered exec may be less inclined to leave the office for lunch, but more than happy to meet for a quick coffee.
When it comes to Business Cards, “Be Selective”:
While you should make a point of handing out your business card to those who seem interested in your product or service, exchanging contact information with every person you meet, even at a networking conference, is not always necessary — or even advisable. Successful networking is about identifying quality leads and prospective clients and employers, meaning it’s better to exchange information with one or two significant new connections than to indiscriminately hand out your details to everyone who says hello.
And when Networking in general, “Be a good Conversationalist”:
Brush up on current events to avoid a lull in the conversation, and be sure that you don’t monopolize the discussion. When entering a group conversation, don’t simply interrupt. Rather, take a cue from the party, and excuse yourself if no one appears to invite you in. Similarly, if you’re part of a group conversation and you notice a new addition, make an effort to introduce yourself, and invite the person into the conversation by catching them up.
With everything from an Apple store to Banana Republic, DKNY, Coach, Lenscrafters and Stuart Weitzman, Oakridge Centre is your one-stop shop for also looking great and being prepared for those business meetings. To promote the fall edition of The Occasion, Oakridge has offered up a $100 gift card to a lucky Miss604 reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment with a tip for productive business meetings and events (1 entry)
- Like, comment, or share this post on Facebook (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 12:00pm. Follow Oakridge on Twitter and Facebook for more information. Oakridge is located on the south west corner of the intersection at Cambie Street and 41st Avenue, 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver or Richmond. Get there by car or via the Oakridge Canada Line stop.
Update The winner is Tamara!
122 Comments — Comments Are Closed
To have a productive meeting, don’t allow anybody to have their cell phones with them!
Always identify important topics to address before hand so you can keep discussions on track and moving forward.
provide coffee and snacks!
Be organized and prepare ahead of time all you want to say or show to the other people in the meeting.
Make sure everything is set up before the meeting (the powerpoint presentation is working, copies of handouts printed, coffee is set up)
Have an agenda and stick to it! 🙂
Be on time!
Have an agenda for the meeting and conclude with Action Items.
Please start on time!
Have a movement break at mid point so people don’t get restless towards the end!
Have an agenda, and stick to it.
Respecting everyone’s opinions and thoughts, start and end on time and send out the meeting minutes soon after the meeting!
Preperation, an action plan and lots of positive energy.
Send a message post – meeting. It’s a step that impresses and one that is lost now!
Serve refreshments
Arrive early to get socializing out of the way — in order to help the meeting start on time.
An agenda is a must, and have all employees leave their cellphones!
have healthy snacks
Have an organized agenda with talking poitns.
For productive business meetings and events, ensure that you have allowed enough time before the meeting for setting up and then for cleaning up afterwards.
Stand up meetings…much quicker!
Start and finish on time, have a schedule of planned topics, allow enough time for questions/inquiries and chocolate snacks are always a bonus! Thanks for the chance to win, twitter fan@plumerea
Put your phones away during meetings! Common courtesy—and you get more done.
At the end of the meeting, review action items and assign due dates!
Set agenda ahead of meeting and stick to it
Set an agenda and collect cell phones before it begins!
set agenda ahead of time and stick to it
Keep to the agenda.
Keep it short and sweet
Print out agendas and an outline of projects that everyone is working on and make sure each person has a copy so they’re not lost! Prep materials beforehand and bring it all into the meeting with you so you don’t have to scramble to find things
keep to your timeline and prepare well
Leave the smart phone at your desk to minimize distractions
Put your phone AWAY! Only retrieve it if adding a contact for networking!
a smile and a handshake can go a long way =)
set due dates, compare accomplishments with targets.
Have an agenda, always.
Tactfully keep discussion on topic.
Be respectful. Don’t interrupt or talk over anyone else.
Always be prepared with a focus for the meeting.
coffee talks can be as productive as full on lunches!
put your phone away so you’re not distracted!
always review the organization’s calendar, reserve the meeting room and assign a meeting facilitator to be in charge of the agenda
Make an agenda beforehand.
this would be perfect for my gf!
Disallow cell phones.
keep agenda for meetings
Create a health break in the middle for people to chit chat, catch up with email, grab a coffee, stretch
Distribute an agenda prior to the meeting and start off with meeting objectives to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Stay on the agenda! So important!!!
Do your research before the meeting and let that guide your questions.
Avoid tangents at all costs!
Do your research beforehand!
Make a list of things you want to cover and dont’ stray from those points.
Cell phones off
Be on time and be prepared
Distribute an agenda to all attendees well before the meeting begins!
don’t be late
no table – stand up ! healthy too !
Stay on topic and on time!
Have an agenda and stick to it, but allow for flexibility if necessary.
Always have an agenda.
Keep meeting on topic and try to stay away from diverging off onto something else
Have an agenda.
Have a meeting chair and a detailed agenda with a set time allocated to each topic.
No cellphones and make sure minutes of the meeting are jotted down for accountability.
Networking is key – be open to talking to anyone and everyone.
Make sure you network as much as you can.
Seek to understand first and then to be understood!
Give people a chance to review the agenda in advance
always make an agenda
circulate documents beforehand for people to review
Bring goodies and coffee
Have people put their phones on silent.
Preparation is key!
Make an agenda and stick to it.
Send everyone an agenda outline before the meeting
Dress for success…. Look good-feel good-do goo
Dress for success…. Look good-feel good-do good
Prepare an agenda and send everyone a copy before the meeting. Get every involved during the meeting by going around in circles to contribute ideas and suggestions.
If discussion takes a direction that does not meet the need of the topic, take it up AFTER the meeting. Don’t take up everyone’s time, if it involves only a few people.
Have a plan ready for the meeting beforehand and ensure you are ready!
Be punctual and organized
Always have an agenda, and do research on the topic of discussion before hand.
Always stick to the agenda, email it put beforehand for any additions, if you can’t agree, table until next meeting.
Be on time to meetings and finish on schedule.
Have a clear agenda (information items already typed out so members can read/refer to on their own time, so they don’t need every detail repeated to them in length) and stay on those topics!
Have stand up meetings. They will be quicker!
Be on time
Have an agenda.
Have an agenda and stick to it.
Have an agenda and come prepare
Make sure to ask lots of questions about them! Everyone likes to talk about themselves!
This would be amazing to win! :O:O
Being organized and prepared for the meeting.
Have an agenda and stick to it.
Don’t let the meeting drift off topic
Don’t be late
Thanks for letting us know about Oakridge Centre’s ‘The Occasion’!
My tip for business meetings is to set a consistent time for them. Since the times don’t change, it helps the team plan activities before & after meetings, eliminating downtime.
Know when your audience needs a break, and serve refreshments including fruit and healthier stuff than sugary donuts. The sugar crash will make people groggy.
Have an agenda and stick to it.
serve coffee!
Audio record the meeting.
set an agenda, start on time & stick to business
Listen more than you talk. Be respectful to the opinions that are expressed, even though they may be completely opposite to yours. Do not dismiss people if they don’t agree with you. You may learn something valuable. When and if someone is rude to you or interrupts you, disagree in a firm, but always polite manner.
If it’s a long meeting, change up the format – possibly include moving around, break time, and/or discussion in small groups.
Ensuring availability 🙂 the more people the better!
Listen to opposing opinions and discuss them with respect, even if you disagree with them.
Start and end the meeting on time. It shows respect for the meeting requester(s) as well as the meeting attendee(s).
Have organized points but allow for natural contributions to the meeting and discussion
Have a agenda and allow for questions.
https://twitter.com/leanne_mac/status/519704682969587713
Be sure to only invite those required and keep to the agenda.
Pay complete attention to the conversation. Don’t think that people are unaware of you checking your phone.
Send out an agenda prior to the meeting outlining the important issues that will be discussed first
strong coffee
Follow agenda that was set to guide meeting
Stick to the topics and don’t waste time with ice breaker type activities
Tip for productive meetings: COME PREPARED!!
Set up all electronics necessary for the presentation beforehand, so it’ll be hassle free when it’s time to start!
Try to remember, and use, everybody’s names.
know your taking points before the meeting.
Be prepared to actively contribute, not just a passive listener
Take minutes and bring a pen!