Connecting your Calendar to your Team <o:p></o:p>

One of the best ways to be connected to your team is by consistently holding team meetings. My suggestion for live, face-to-face meetings is once a month. From personal experience, I know that Meetings really do Matter. <o:p></o:p>

In my nearly thirty years of interviewing prospective party plan people, many would ask if they had to go to meetings. My reply: "Only if you want to be successful." For some reason, people look at meetings as a punishment! Actually, meetings are a key component to prosperity and profits in the party plan industry. <o:p></o:p>

Many party plan people joined the industry because they attended a meeting. I am one of those lucky folks. I volunteered to find out more information about a party plan company by calling them on the phone. I was told someone would contact me; I assumed that would take weeks. Surprisingly, on the same day, a bubbly voice returned my call and announced, "You're so lucky you called today, we're having a sales meeting tomorrow and you are invited to attend." Jeanne, my soon-to-be leader, made the event sound so wonderful, I thought the president of the company was going to be there! <o:p></o:p>

As thrilling as this invitation was, I had some concerns about going to an event more than thirty minutes from my home since I had just moved to a new town and was unsure about venturing out on my own. And, I didn't know if I could find someone to watch my year-old son. When I voiced my concerns, Jeanne volunteered to contact a group of consultants from my city and ask them to pick me up. Immediately, I felt part of a team and accepted her enthusiastic invitation. <o:p></o:p>

Driving with my new friends put me at ease and prepared me to meet a huge group of excited party plan people. During the meeting, I listened in amazement at the success stories, witnessed all kinds of recognition, gazed at the gifts, and realized the potential of the party plan. I was ready to get started. The memories of that meeting and the feeling of the people have never left me. To this day, I can tell you what I wore, who the leader was, and how one compliment she paid me has stayed with me all of these years. Most importantly, attending that one meeting was the reason I said "yes" to the party plan industry. Meetings matter. <o:p></o:p>

Six years later after having established a profitable business, our family moved to a city a hundred miles away. Unfortunately, I had to leave my team and customers behind to be cared for by other consultants and leaders. I knew no one in my new area and focused on booking and holding parties right away. However, I did not get my first recruit until I decided to hold a team meeting. <o:p></o:p>

Yes, I scheduled a meeting even though I didn't have anyone to invite! But I knew that meetings matter and that if I held one, I'd find someone thirsty to attend. And I did. My first team meeting was with my first recruit in my new city. I figured if I was going to hold a meeting I didn't want to be the only one there! That meeting was the beginning of my rise to being a top, nationally-ranked sales leader. Meetings matter. <o:p></o:p>

Throughout the years, I witnessed that Meetings Matter to people who are depressed about life and business until their hope was reignited at a meeting. I've seen consultants overflowing with confidence when they've been highlighted and recognized in front of their peers. I've seen the "ah ha" moments strike during business education segments. I've felt the camaraderie and synergy as team members share ideas and unite in purpose. <o:p></o:p>