Executives face difficult situations in business, both strategically and interpersonally. Learn from an experienced executive how to navigate the professional landscape.

For new and aspiring executives alike, When Executives Meet, What Happens? is a treasure trove of advice on succeeding in business. Geary Reid draws on his experience as part of an executive management team to share what should and should not be done along the path to success. Even experienced executives will benefit from Reid’s insights into aspects of executive meetings that need improvement. If you want to become a better executive or are looking to work your way into an executive position, Reid also provides a comprehensive, easy-to-understand overview of the various roles and market systems in the business world.

1. Formal Activities (Meetings)

Meetings are advantageous because they allow people to share ideas and views and make decisions. Conversely, meetings may also be viewed as boring, depending on who is chairing the session and the topics to be discussed. People sometimes dread meetings because they feel these sessions are long and yield no positive outcomes. These meetings may be classified as another way to “talk shop”. It is therefore imperative that executives design and conduct meetings to gain quality results. The items to be discussed and their frequency must be considered when allocating time for meetings. Meetings that occur weekly should be brief, unlike those that occur only once per quarter.

At an executive level, the meeting must allow executives to meet and plan the strategies for the organisation. The organisation will not become independently successful unless there is some amount of planning, especially at the executive level. The planning must consider the organisation’s vision, mission, and goals, among others. From these main areas, the other important factors of the organisation will be developed.

Executives will need to plan beyond tomorrow. The industry in which the organisation operates may be competitive, and having a plan that spans several periods is important. As noted in the preceding section, the long-range plan will give executives something to work toward for several years, and they will be required to review it and make the necessary adjustments as needed. Planning without decision-making will not allow the organisation to accomplish anything. Therefore, decisions must be based on the information available to executives, and they must be in the organisation’s interest rather than the executives’. When sufficient information is unavailable, executives must also be forward-thinking and request additional information to make an informed decision.

All resources must be carefully coordinated to allow the organisation to accomplish its goals. The resources of some organisations may be many, while those of others may be few. Regardless of the quantity, once the resources are organised properly and available as needed, the organisation, under the direction of the executive, may accomplish many things.

Those executives who are good communicators can expect some success, and their ability to motivate people will bring additional success. Both verbal and non-verbal communication are crucial to the success of every organisation, and the executive must use both for senior and junior employees. Sometimes non-verbal communication can be misunderstood. It must be carefully used, and the timing must be considered. While silence is good, it may convey the impression to persons that the executive has agreed with a matter at a meeting, which may not be the case.

Executing plans will contribute to success or failure. Many times, executives depend on junior employees for execution. Some of the plans prepared by executives must be documented so that, at the time of execution, all employees will do the right thing from the outset, thus minimising errors.

Reviewing performances will inform executives whether they have properly executed their plans or where they need to be adjusted. Performance reviews must be conducted for all employees at all levels and across many aspects of the organisation. The design of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and other measurement tools will help executives make decisions about the organisation’s current and future direction without going into too much detail. Additional information about KPIs is mentioned in the literature. Ethics must be at the centre of all executives’ thinking and actions as they manage the organisation.

2. Informal Activities (Meetings)

Many executives hold formal meetings; however, they also hold informal ones, and they sometimes engage in activities not considered best for the organisation. In this section, you will see some unprofessional actions performed by executives that are not designed for the benefit of the organisation. If you have been hurt by an executive, then you might identify some areas in this section. When executives deviate from their professional training, they engage in planning and activities that often harm their employees and the organisation.

Persons may be aware of politics at the national level but fail to recognise it within an organisation, and this can be initiated by its executives. Many things approved by the executive in an organisation may relate to favouritism. Employees in an organisation may not be the most qualified but may have the support of some political manoeuvring by the executive. Contractors may be eligible but unable to receive a contract because of politics by executives.

Victimisation may be familiar to many persons. Employees may complain about their victimisation to executives, unaware that the same executives have established systems to victimise specific employees, especially when employees refuse to carry out their unprofessional requests. An employee may have the skills and knowledge to perform a particular task, but because the executive wants to victimise the employee, work may be withheld from that individual, or the employee may be placed in an area that is not appropriate or less conducive to the employee’s work.

If power is not used correctly, then it can hurt many people rather than help them. Executives may use their power and influence to inflict certain wounds on some employees. Because of the influence some executives wield, they may choose to do things that provide direct benefits to themselves. Novice executives may use power and influence in ways that could have an adverse effect, since they may operate more out of zeal than wisdom.

Some employees may be requested to work longer hours not because those employees have not done their work properly, but because the executive wants to impose power and influence on or subdue that employee — especially if they share ideas that are different from those of the executive, and if many employees support those ideas more than the executive’s.

Meetings scheduled by executives can be conducted within the organisation if such space is available. However, if executives have to rent a place for the meeting, they may choose expensive venues or locations that benefit the executive personally. The menu items ordered by the executive may be lavish, as the executive may see themselves having a feast at the meeting. This happens because there are limited procedures to guide executives on meal expenses and location.

Book & Author Information

For more information about Geary Reid and his books:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/gearyreid
Website: www.reidnlearn.com
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Email: info@reidnlearn.com
Mobile: 592-645-2240