1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to plan for latecomers. If you are 4 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: leading a meeting or other gathering, you can predict that 5 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: some people will show up late, So think in advance 6 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: about how you can welcome them and smoothly incorporate them 7 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: into the gathering that's already under way. So I sing 8 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: in the choir at my church, and from the loft 9 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: I have a great view of the congregation. In particular, 10 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: I can see that ushers tend to gently detain latecomers 11 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: until certain moments, when bringing them in will be less 12 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: conspicuous because the entire congregation a standing or singing. Sometimes 13 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 1: my husband and kids are among the latecomers, because let's 14 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: face it, getting out the door in the morning is hard. 15 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: Even if the Sunday morning launch happens later than the 16 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: weekday sort, it is not as carefully timed, and if 17 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: I am singing in the choir, I am not home 18 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: to help. In general, people tend to drive to church 19 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: once a week or so, as opposed to school or work, 20 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: which happens more frequently. So people know the timing. Of course, 21 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: people are going to be late to church, so the 22 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: ushers have a system for greeting them when they arrive 23 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: and seating them in bursts. Latecomers are welcomed and know 24 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: just how to plug into the service. Their arrival isn't 25 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: a distraction from what's already underway. Meeting facilitators can do 26 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: something similar. Establish the norm of starting the meeting on time, 27 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: but also planned for the possibility that there may be 28 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: latecomers and know how and when you will incorporate them 29 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,839 Speaker 1: into the larger group. You can start with the invitation 30 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: when you ask people to R s v P for 31 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 1: the meeting. Also ask people to let you know if 32 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: they anticipate being late so you can plan accordingly. This 33 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,519 Speaker 1: subtly affirms the expectation that people will arrive on time, 34 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: since no one is going to tell you that they 35 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: expect to be five to ten minutes late, because well, 36 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: they always are. But if someone flags that they are 37 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: coming from a meeting that almost always runs over, or 38 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: they will be coming from the airport and so are 39 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: at the mercy of transit delays, you could know what 40 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: to expect and decide in advance what to do about it. 41 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 1: For in perse and meetings, one option is to smile 42 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: and silently mouth good morning or good afternoon to latecomers. 43 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: They will feel welcomed and acknowledged, but your silence will 44 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: cue them that they should enter quietly too. This is 45 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: not the time for Hey, everybody, sorry to be late. 46 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: Traffic on the Loop was crazy. Did you see that 47 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: six car fender vendor by exit sixteen? You can build 48 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: in a point in the agenda somewhere around the middle 49 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: to recap what's been covered so far, to catch up latecomers, 50 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: and as a bonus, reinforce key points for those who 51 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: have been there all along. For video conference meetings, want 52 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: option is to use the waiting room and have a 53 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: designated point in the agenda. When latecomers are admitted all 54 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: at once. At that point you can greet them warmly 55 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: and let them know where you are in the meeting. 56 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: It's just like the ushers waiting to see people until 57 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: the first hymn. Of course, I know that sometimes doesn't 58 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: fit with the culture of the group, and let's face it, 59 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: you aren't going to let your manager linger in the 60 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: weight room if she is the late party. So if 61 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: you aren't doing a bulk admit. You can do a 62 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: silent smiling wave or a message in the chat to 63 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: say welcome when you see someone new join. You can 64 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: subtly weave into your comments where you are in the agenda, 65 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: as in before we move on to item three about 66 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: the program evaluation. Does anyone have further thoughts or questions 67 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: to share about Tom's presentation? You have discreetly queued your 68 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: latecomer as to where you are, whatever the specifics of 69 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: your approach, We want to avoid two extremes. At one extreme, 70 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 1: an organizer allows latecomers to steal the show and the 71 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: planned meeting content is displaced. The facilitator then has to 72 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: relaunch the meeting and regenerate momentum. It can be annoying 73 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: to those who arrived on time for the meeting to 74 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: restart every time a latecomer comes in. At the other 75 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: end of the spectrum. Also to be avoided is treating 76 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: latecomers as invisible. I mean this makes sense for a 77 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: big meeting of more than a dozen people, but not 78 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: for a smaller meeting. If a person arrives in a 79 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: meeting small enough that everyone is going to notice that 80 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: they came in, they deserve the dignity of a greeting. 81 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 1: If you are the meeting leader, welcome latecomers one way 82 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: or another. If you are participating in a meeting where 83 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: the facilitator doesn't do that, you can welcome the person. 84 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: A smile and a wave or a direct message can 85 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: go a long way to making the person feel seen 86 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: and not awkward. I think some meeting facilitators avoid greeting 87 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: late comers because they don't want to put them on 88 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: the spot, or because they don't want to make it 89 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: seem like it's okay to be late. But I don't 90 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: think either of these is a big risk. Greet them 91 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: and move on. It really is easier in the long run. 92 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: Do you have effective ways of incorporating late comers into meetings. 93 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear about it. You can reach me 94 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: at Laura at Laura Vanderkim dot com. In the meantime, 95 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 96 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 97 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: hear from it. You can send me your tips, your questions, 98 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 99 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the 100 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: number four. Then Breakfast p o D. You can also 101 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i 102 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: heeartmedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with 103 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to 104 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I 105 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit 106 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 107 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.