The aim To give anyone who attends meetings the skills they need to contribute more effectively and deal with even the most awkward colleagues. About the programme The two-part Going to a meeting series is based on a group of middle managers in a large hospital. Part 1: Messing up a meeting Messing up a meeting, focuses on Jeremy preparing to go to a regular meeting with his colleagues. Unfortunately 'preparing' doesn't describe what we see him doing. 'Grabbing a few papers and turning up late' would be more accurate. The narrator, John Cleese, tries to warn him that this isn't good enough, but he is in too much of a hurry to listen. The meeting, inevitably, is a disaster for him. On his return, Cleese explains what he ought to have done and he gets another chance. The results of doing his homework properly produce an entirely different outcome. Jeremy's problems are not over though. First, he irritates the chair by talking when he has nothing to say and refusing to stick to the agenda. Then he gets into a blazing row with a colleague by disagreeing with him in entirely the wrong way. In both cases, Cleese shows him what he has done wrong and how to change his behaviour for the better by keeping it simple, cool and courteous. Messing up a meeting shows how to avoid common mistakes, how to prepare, how to get points across and win arguments. And how to not look like a fool in front of the boss! The key messages are: -Do your homework - research the facts, present your case professionally and prepare for objections -Keep it short - stick to the point, stick to the agenda and if you've got nothing to say, keep quiet -Keep it cool and courteous - use questions, not contradiction, show you've been listening, respect other's arguments, admit your weak points and others' strong ones Part 2: Meeting menaces Meeting menaces contains five short sequences, introduced by John Cleese. These show how to cope with colleagues whose behaviour stops meetings from getting results. Jeremy fails to handle the destructive behaviour of each of the menaces and the meeting they are all attending becomes a farce. The waffler is guilty of going on and on, wasting time and contributing nothing to the meeting. The turf warrior is only interested in defending the interests and reputation of her department. The assassin has no ideas of his own, so prefers to shoot down others, whilst the dominator would rather steamroller over other opinions. Finally, the interrupter jumps in when others are speaking just because he thinks what he has to say is more important than anyone else. However, following guidance from Cleese, Jeremy learns the techniques for handling each menace correctly and gets the meeting back on track. The benefits -Staff will learn how to get the best out of going to meetings -Quality of meetings will improve -Better meetings will build teams and improve performance -Demonstrates how easy it can be to handle the various personalities you encounter in the meeting arena -By avoiding conflict between participants, meetings will become far more effective -Suitable for anybody who attends meetings Very memorable programme 'A good investment for refreshing the managers of today and training those of the future.' Jan Golding, Training magazine Programme includes: DVD Part 1 (20 mins) DVD Part 2 (20 mins) Meeting break video or DVD for training disc Course leaders guide Delegate worksheets on disk PowerPoint slides / OHPs on disk Self-study workbook on disk

The aim To enable people to organise and chair meetings that are more effective and more motivating for those who attend. About the programme Meetings, bloody meetings is the best-selling video that defines the five disciplines that transform a gathering into a professionally run business meeting. In a nightmarish court, a cynical manager is found guilty of failing to prepare himself and inform others of what a meeting was about (even omitting to invite all the relevant people); failure to plan the agenda; failure to control the discussion and failure to record the decisions. The judge demonstrates how the rules for running a meeting parallel those of a court and the chaos that would result if he ran his court in the same way. The nightmare is so vivid that the guilty-as-charged manager resolves to apply the rules - as will your organisation's staff when they view this very humorous, sharply observed parable. The benefits -Suitable for all staff who might be expected to organise and run meetings -Key learning points are dealt with in clearly-defined segments that can be reviewed and discussed -The combination of a realistic business meeting and nightmare court makes it easy to understand the problems and the solutions -Humorous content engages people's attention and aids learning Programme includes: DVD (30 mins) Showreel tape Meeting break video Course leader's guide Delegate worksheets on disk Powerpoint slides/OHPs on disk Self-study workbook on disk

The aim To demonstrate that chairing a meeting is not just about getting the procedures right, it is also about getting people to work together. About the programme The guilty manager of Meetings, bloody meetings dreams he is back in court, this time charged with neglecting the human aspect of his meetings. His misdemeanours are replayed as evidence, from failing to prevent a squabble, to allowing the discussion to go off at a tangent and then allowing himself to be railroaded into a poor decision. The video shows the necessity of involving everyone in the decision-making process and ensuring that they understand key points at all stages . The benefits -Makes it easy to put over ideas that are hard to explain - an ideal companion to Meetings, bloody meetings -The rules for achieving harmony and unity of purpose are clearly presented and made easy to remember -Suitable for managers and all staff responsible for holding meetings Programme includes: DVD(28 mins) Showreel tape Meeting break video Course leader's guide Delegate worksheets on disk Powerpoint slides/OHPs on disk Self-study workbook on disk