Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Having a Difficulty in Pronouncing Basic Words?



We have collated a list of 306 frequently used and mispronounced words for you, where alongside every word is it's pronunciation in a simplified way, rather than in phonetics. Just put stress on the syllable in capitals to get the right pronunciation. You may either stretch or raise the volume of your voice on the capitalized syllable.

 
To start off, in case you do not know what a syllable is, let me tell you in the simplest form of English; it is nothing but word divisions, like Rosy can be divided into RO and ZEE. Similarly, Sunita can be broken into SU, NEE and TAA. Remember, the number of syllables in a word is equal to the number of times your lips change their movement…try it with the above 2 examples. Now try the work ‘encyclopedia’. How many syllables does this word have? Hope you guessed it as 6! See you got it now…isn’t that simple!!!

 
Pls note that these are simply part of neutral English, and not American or British sounds. This is mainly for our Asian audience.

 
  1. Absolutely - aeb-suh-LOOT-li
  2. Academics - aec-a-DEM-ics (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  3. Academy - a-CAD-a-mee
  4. Acid - ASS-id
  5. Account - a-COUNT (not 'Eccount')
  6. Activate - ACT-i-vate
  7. Actually - AEK-chu'uh-li (not ec)
  8. Addition - a-DIH-shn (not ADD-ishn) (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  9. Address - ADD-ress OR a-DRESS (Not 'ed')
  10. Adjustable - ud-JUST-tb-bl
  11. Admitted - ud-MITT-id
  12. Adult - u-DULT or AE-dlt
  13. Advantage - ud-VAAN-tij
  14. Advertisement - add-VER-tiz-mnt
  15. Aged - AYJ’d
  16. Agency - AY-jn-see
  17. Agreement - a-GREE-mnt
  18. Alert - uh-LERT
  19. Allergy - AE-ler-jee
  20. Allows - a-LAOW (not ellow)
  21. Already - all-RED-ee
  22. Alsatian - ael-SAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  23. Alternative - Al-TER-nuh-tiv
  24. America - uh-MEH-ri-kaa
  25. Apologize - a-PAUL-a-jize
  26. Applicable - ae-PLIC-uh-bl
  27. Appreciation - a-pree-cee-AY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  28. Appropriate - a-PRO-pri-ut
  29. Approximate - a-PROX-i-mt
  30. Arabic - AER-uh-bic
  31. Artificial - are-ti-FISH-ul (Any word that FISH in it, remember to stress on it)
  32. Assess - a-SESS
  33. Asset - ASS-set
  34. Asthma - AZMA
  35. Atmosphere - AT-ms-phere
  36. Avail - a-VAIL
  37. Available - a-VELL-a-bl
  38. Avenue - AE-ven-you
  39. Awry - a-RYE
  40. Balloon - bl-OON
  41. Bandage - BAN-dj
  42. Beginning - big-IN-ing
  43. Bondage - BON-dj
  44. Bough - BAAow (like Pow- wow, not like go)
  45. Bowl - BOH’l (like goal)
  46. Breakfast - BREK-f’st
  47. Brochure - bro-SHORE
  48. Buffet - BOO-fay or BUH-fay
  49. Bury - BERR-i
  50. Cabin - CAB-in
  51. Calendar - CAL-ln-der
  52. Career - cr-EE-er
  53. Cassette - k-SETT
  54. Catastrophe - c't-ASS-truh-fee
  55. Chassis - CHAE-si (chae like cat)
  56. Chic - (French) SHEEK
  57. Chores - CHOrz (not kores)
  58. Collateral - cl-LAT-er-rl
  59. Comfortable - CUMF-t-bl
  60. Commercial - cm-MER-shl
  61. Communicate - cm-MEW-ni-cate
  62. Communication - cm-mew-ni-KAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  63. Compatability - cum-pae-t-BIL-it-ee
  64. Compensation - com-pen-SAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  65. Competition - com-pt-TISH-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  66. Competitive - cm-PET-a-tiv
  67. Component - Cm-POE-n’nt
  68. Compound - COM-pound (noun)
  69. Compound - cum-POUND (verb)
  70. Computer - cum-PEW-ter
  71. Concept - CON-cept
  72. Conclude - cn-CLUDE
  73. Condemnation - con-dm-NAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  74. Condition - cn-DI-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  75. Condominium - con-dm-IN-ym
  76. Conference - CON-frens
  77. Configuration - cn-fig-ya-RAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  78. Confirmation - con-fur-MAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  79. Conflict - CON-flict
  80. Congratulations - kng-rae-ch-LAY-shns (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  81. Consultancy - cun-SUL-t’n-si
  82. Contact - CON-tact
  83. Content - (noun) CON-tent
  84. Content - (verb) Cn-TENT
  85. Continue - cn-TIN-new
  86. Contract - CON-tract (noun)
  87. Contract - cn-TRACT (verb)
  88. Controversy - cun-TRAW-ver-si
  89. Conversation - con-ver-SAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  90. Corporation - cor-po-RAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  91. Corrupt - k-RRUPT
  92. Cough - CAWf (like of)
  93. Coverage - KUV-rj
  94. Creature - CREE-cher (like teacher)
  95. Credit - CRE-dit
  96. Customer - KUS-t-mer
  97. Cycle - SIGH-cl
  98. Data - DAY-ta
  99. Decade - DEC-ade
  100. Decision - di-SI-zhn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  101. Deficiency - d-FISH-n-see (Any word that FISH in it, remember to stress on it)
  102. Deliberate - (noun) d-LIB-r’t
  103. Deliberate - (verb) d-lib-RATE
  104. Delicate - DEL-i-kt
  105. Delinquency - d-LIN-kwn-see
  106. Deliver - d-LIVE-er
  107. Demon - DEE-mun
  108. Demonstrate - DEM-un-strate
  109. Department - di-PART-mnt
  110. Dependant - d-PEN-dnt
  111. Desktop - DESK-top
  112. Detail - DEE-tail
  113. Development - d-VEL-up-mnt
  114. Diet - DAA-ay-ut(Triphthong)
  115. Division - di-VI-zhn
  116. Drought - drAAOUt (like crowd)
  117. Draught - drAAft
  118. Duplex - DYOO-plex
  119. Dynamism - die-NAE-mism
  120. Economics - ee-k-NAW-mics (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  121. Economy - i-CAW-n-mee
  122. Electrician - i-lec-TRI-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  123. Electricity - i-lec-TRI-ci-ty
  124. Embassy - EM-b'ssi
  125. Emergency - i-MER-jn-see
  126. Encore - (French) AAN-core
  127. Encourage - en-KUR-rj
  128. Engineer - en-jn-NEE-er
  129. Enough - i-NUFF
  130. Entourage - (French) AAN-tew-razh
  131. Entrée - (French) AAN-tre
  132. Entrepreneur - aan-tre-pre-NEWR
  133. Envelop - (verb) en-VEL-lup
  134. Envelope - AAN-ve-lope / EN-ve-lope
  135. Environment - En-VI-rn-mnt
  136. Equipment - i-KWUP-mnt
  137. Estimate - ES-tm-mt
  138. Event - i-VENT
  139. Exam - i-XAEM (like pam)
  140. Executive - eg-ZEC-ya-tiv
  141. Expert - EX-pert
  142. Facial - FAY-shl
  143. Façade - f-SAAD
  144. Facility - fs-SIL-a-tee
  145. Faculty - FAC-l-tee
  146. Family - FAM-uh-li (like Sam)
  147. Fantastic - Fan-TASS-tic (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  148. Faux Pas - (French) Fo-PAA (like low-paa)
  149. Florist - FLAW-rist
  150. Foreclosure - fore CLO zher
  151. Forte - for-TAY
  152. Gherkin - GER-kin
  153. Government - GOVE-mnt (like love)
  154. Gram - grAEm ( like Sam, ham, fan)
  155. Gross - grOHss
  156. H - AYCH (not etch)
  157. Hard drive - HARD drive
  158. Hardware - HARD ware
  159. Hostel - HOSS-tell (like loss)
  160. Hostess - HOES-tess (like toe)
  161. Hotel - ho-TELL
  162. Icon - i-CAWN
  163. Idea - i-DEE-a
  164. Immediately - i-MEE-diat
  165. Industry - IN-ds-tree
  166. Information - in-for-MAY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  167. Initial - in-ISH-shl
  168. Initiative - i-NISH-a-tiv
  169. Inquiry - in-KWY-ree
  170. Integral - IN-t-grl
  171. Interest - IN-trst (not trust)
  172. Interim - IN-ter-im
  173. Interpret - In-TERR-pret
  174. Internet - IN-ter-net
  175. Interrogative - in-terr-AWG-a-tiv
  176. Irreparable - ir-REP-r-bl
  177. Jalapeno - Hal-uh-PAY-no
  178. Kilometer - ki-LAW-mi-ter
  179. Language - LANG-gu-ij
  180. Lettuce - LET-iss
  181. Logistics - Law-JIS-tics (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  182. Lucrative - LOO-cr-tiv
  183. Maintenance - MAIN-t-nens
  184. Mandatory - MAN-day-tri / MAN-day-toe-ri
  185. Maternity - Mt-ER-nt-tee
  186. Maturity - M-CHYORE-a-tee
  187. Mauve - MOH-vv (like go)
  188. Menu - MEN-you
  189. Messenger - MES-sn-jer
  190. Methodology - Meth-DAW-l-gi
  191. Mobile - MO-bile
  192. Modem - MOE-dm
  193. Monger - MUN-ger or MON-ger
  194. Mortgage - MOR-gij
  195. Mountain - MOUN-t’n
  196. Naïve - naa-EVE
  197. Necessary - NES-a-sr-ee
  198. Necessity - ns-CES-a-tee
  199. Nuance - NEW-aance
  200. Official - uh-FISH-ul (Any word that FISH in it, remember to stress on it)
  201. Only - OWN-li (not ‘awnly’)
  202. Onion - UN-yn
  203. Ordinance - OR-dn-nnce
  204. Origination - a-rij-in-AY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  205. Operating - AW-per-ay-ting
  206. Occurred - a-CURD
  207. Opponent - uh-POE-n'nt
  208. Opportunity - aw-per-CHOO-n(uh)-tee (like copper)
  209. Opposite - AWP-a-zit
  210. Oregano - er-IG-uh-no or or-ee-GAE-no
  211. Orchid - OR-kid
  212. Parameter - p-RAM-i-ter
  213. Participate - Per-TIS-i-payt
  214. Particular - per-TIK-yoo-ler
  215. Passenger - PAS-sn-jer
  216. Pedestal - PE-des-tal
  217. Penalty - PEN-nl-tee
  218. Percentage - per-SEN-tij
  219. Petite - (French) p-TEET
  220. Petrol - PET-rl
  221. Plumber - PLUH-mmer
  222. Preliminary - Pri-lim-in-AIR-ee
  223. Physiology - Fiz(i)-AW-logy
  224. Police - pu-LEECE
  225. Potato - p-TAY-toe
  226. Poverty - PAW-ver-tee
  227. Private - PRI-vt (not vate)
  228. Pint - PIEnt (like Pine)
  229. Pizza - (Italian) PEET-za
  230. Prefer - Prif-ER
  231. President - PREZ-a-dent
  232. Precedent - PRE-si-dent (noun)
  233. Premise - PRE-miss
  234. Priority - pry-OR-a-tee
  235. Process - PROH-cess, PRAW-cess (noun)
  236. Process - pro-CESS (verb)
  237. Processor - PRAW-se-sir
  238. Product - PROH-duct, PRAW-duct
  239. Probably - PRAW-b'b-lee
  240. Pronounce - pro-NOUNCE
  241. Pronunciation - pro-nun-ci-AY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  242. Purchase - PUR-chz
  243. Psychology - sy-CAW-l-gi
  244. Question - QUES-chn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  245. Quiet - QuAA-ay-ut (like daa-ay-ut)
  246. Radar - RAY-dar
  247. Realize - REE-a-lise
  248. Really - REE-a-lee
  249. Receipt - ri-SEAT
  250. Record - RE-curd (noun)
  251. Record - ri-CORD (verb)
  252. Recurring - ri-CURR-ing
  253. Refer - rif-ER
  254. Referral - Rif-ER-rl ('er' like bear)
  255. Referred - ri-FERRD
  256. Refurbished - REE-fur-bishd
  257. Registry - RE-jis-tree (like red)
  258. Reign - RAIN
  259. Rendezvous - (French) RON-day-voo
  260. Repetitive - Ri-PET-a-tiv
  261. Representative - rep-rz-ZEN-t-tiv
  262. Resource - REE-source
  263. Sacred - SAYK-r’d
  264. Salad - SAEL-ed (like pan)
  265. Suite - SwEEt
  266. Satire - SAE-tire
  267. Sentence - SEN-tns
  268. Sew - SO ( like go)
  269. Sewer - SOOO-er
  270. Support - s-PORT
  271. Satisfaction - sat-iss-FAK-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  272. Software - SOFT-ware
  273. Screw - SCROO
  274. Signature - SIG-n(uh)-chr
  275. Specific - Sp-SIF-fik (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  276. Sponge - SPUN-j
  277. Statistically - St-TIS-tik-a-li (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  278. Statistics - St-TIS-tics (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  279. Suave - SOOAAV
  280. Success - sk-CESS
  281. Suggestion - s-JESS-chn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  282. Suicide - SOO-a-side
  283. Surprise - Sur-PRIZE
  284. Technology - Tech-NAW-l-gi
  285. Terrific - t-RIFF-ic (Any word that ends in ---ic, ---ics, ---ical, ---ically, stress on the syllable just before it)
  286. Today - to-DAY
  287. Toll free - TOLE-free
  288. Tooth - TOOOth (not tuth)
  289. Truth - trOOth
  290. Tour - TOO-er
  291. Tuition - tyoo-ISH-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  292. Unless - un-LESS
  293. Until - un-TILL
  294. Update - UP-date
  295. Upgrade - UP-grade
  296. Vacancy - VAY-cn-si
  297. Valet - VAE-lay
  298. Valve - VALLv (not vaelve or vaalv)
  299. Vegetable - VEG-t-ble
  300. Verification - ver-a-fik-AY-shn (Any word ending with ---tion, ---sion, ---cion, please stress on the syllable just before it - these syllables are pronounced as 'shun' of 'zhun')
  301. Wafer - WAY-fer
  302. Wednesday - WENZ-day
  303. Women - WI-men
  304. Worm - WERM
  305. Year - Yyyear
  306. Zero - ZEE-ro
Now, all that you have to do is, just be cautious while talking. Speak slow to ensure that you get the pronunciations right.

All the Best! 

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

10 Key Elements to use your Voice to Speak Confidently

Studies have shown that people who speak better than others are perceived as being able to attract attention easily, stimulating, exhilarating and intelligent…and oh! Guess what? They make more money as well…name any good speaker you can think of, Shiv Khera, Oprah Whinfrey, etc…
 
One quote, by a very famous speaker that I always remember is, “If everything in the world is taken away from me, except the gift of speech, I can earn back everything that I have lost”. Such is the power of speaking effectively. Here, I wish to draw your focus towards the gift of voice that each of us possesses. The question is – do we use it to the fullest? Have we ever noticed that people who stammer and stutter while talking, sing beautifully? Have we ever taken a soft-spoken manager for granted? Have we ever felt dominated by a person just because of the way he talks? Well, if you notice, all of this is linked with voice and speaking skills.
 
If you are aggressive, it will not only appear in your work, but also in the way you communicate with your colleagues, family, friends. A docile person will always be dominated and don’t blame the world for it…I will blame YOU alone. ‘X’ will dominate, if YOU let him do so. All you have to do is, use your voice effectively and that will happen once you gain the confidence towards it. Let’s see how you can attain this level for yourself:
 
  1. To start off with, practice some simple breathing exercises. We have heard of the breathe in and out exercises. While practicing it, just remember that if you breathe in, in say, 3 seconds, breathe out in 6. Start with 15 minutes a day, thereafter, continue it for at least 30 to 45 minutes daily. You will realize that you will never get breathless while talking.
  2. Look into the eye of the person while talking to him. It shows that you are confident about what you are saying and that you know your content well. If he is trying to dominate you, he will not be able to; just don’t take your eyes away from his eyes.
  3. A confident voice does not have to be loud; it just needs to have the right intention, which puts the listeners into a thinking and responsive mode. All you have to do is attack the emotional quotient of your listener…that’s it!
  4. Get your grammar correct. You will only lose a lost battle even more, if your grammar is out to graze the grass. This clearly means that you should speak as much in the language of your communication as possible, in order to make mistakes and learn out of them. (Remember the energy drink advertisement on TV, where a young gymnast challenges his board, by saying that “Mum says that I can make as many mistakes while practicing, but in the finals, there is no scope for mistakes). Speak with people who you are comfortable correcting you and then reach out for your prey.
  5. Open your mouth while talking. If you speak with your lips close enough, you will only encourage a ‘bored to death’ audience. Use your jaw muscles to talk, so that you don’t encourage murmurs of people enquiring what you ‘thus spake’.
  6. Hold your head high while talking. You don’t have to be ashamed of anything while speaking. On doing this gesture, the throw of your words will be distant and crystal clear.
  7. You don’t have to be loud; just have the right volume and pitch while addressing an audience.
  8. Speak with some rhythm, rather than sounding monotone. If not, be ready for some tomatoes and eggs.
  9. If you carry and MTI (mother-tongue-influence), please work on reduction of the same, else, don’t be surprised to see a laughing face in your audience.
  10. Have the right rate of speech. Neither do we expect to hear an Azharuddin nor do we expect an AB Vajpayee. Speak at a pace in which your audience can understand and comprehend you, else they will lose interest in your spiel.
 
Just try and follow these simple and ‘tried and tested’ steps towards a more persuasive, expressive and powerful voice. Such voice control will take you places…I guarantee it!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Nothing to Do...Let's conduct a Meeting!

Off to take another meeting for your team members?
Think twice…Have you prepared for it? Are you one of those, who decides to meet his team for 30 min, but ends up spending at least 60 min, if not more? If not, do you have a manager who is perceived to be like this? If that’s the case, go on and read…
Every meeting is like an election…if conducted in the right way, it results in a beautiful country; if not, it leads to complete devastation. As you climb higher on the corporate ladder, and as your business grows, meetings will become an inevitable part of your life; esp. for the people who are related with the high-profile jobs associated with the business, the strategies and working of it – they seem to be running on the wheels of these meetings.

People spend so much time in meetings, that turning meeting time into sustained results is a priority for successful organizations. To ensure that you indulge in an effective and efficient meeting, your actions should be linked to ‘management of the meeting’; otherwise, your meetings will not bear the fruit you desire from the time you invest in meeting.

Most managers I meet, say that they don’t have the time to meet their team members formally, but they will chat over a cup of coffee periodically. The trouble is, although they think they are saving time by having a fleeting meeting now and then, in reality they are almost certainly wasting more time than if they sat down with a proper agenda, and conducted a fully minuted meeting.

Few basic ways and means to ensure that you are known as a great meeting chairperson are as follows:

1. Venue: Remember to book a venue for the meeting way in advance. It is bad corporate etiquette to barge into a room without booking it. Depending on the number of participants, you may book a conference room, or a 2 to 4-seater meeting room.

2. Agenda: Have the meeting agenda in place. When you send the invite to the participants, ensure you attach the agenda in your email. Before the meeting commences, if possible, take printouts of it and place it on the chair of the attendees. Additionally, you may even use the whiteboard or the flipchart to write the agenda for all to see. This really helps, esp at a time, when participants try to digress from the key topic of discussion. An agenda gives a sense of direction for the meeting. If you feel that anyone is talking boundlessly, no one is stopping you from requesting him to stop and take the conversation offline. Remember, by doing this, people around may get unhappy initially, but, gradually, will realize that you value yours and the participant’s time.

3. Frequency: Don’t conduct meetings at the drop of a hat. You will lose your importance and respect. Call for a meeting only if it is absolutely essential and that too, as spoken above, for a stipulated duration. Remember, you too have work to finish; if not, then, what are you doing in the organization?

4. Come to the Point ASAP: Always good to start by asking holistic questions and then moving on to the real business. It pacifies the participants and makes them receptive to the rest of the discussion. Don’t make the audience say, “When our boss has nothing to do, he calls a meeting”.

5. Listen: Walk the talk before you expect anyone to listen to you. Give all an opportunity to express their views…well, that is why they were invited, right? A anonymous study claims that in a 15 min presentation, only 50% of the information is retained. Remove all barriers to listening, including, information overload, unidentified and hidden emotions amongst the participants, phone calls, complicated language / heavy on accent, etc…

6. Non-verbal communication: Carry an open body language without crossing your arms. Look at the participant when he speaks, as it makes him feel important that his point is being listened to carefully. Use your head to nod as and when required. Be wary of others body language as well.

7. Time Management: This is again linked to point 2 and 3; however, very critical to be handled separately. Only if you start the meeting on time, will you be able to end it on or before time. The room that you have blocked may be required by another party on exigency. Besides, everyone plans their work according to the 9 hours given to them for work. More than anything else, the participant connect will be stronger if you stick to timelines, as they will stop getting distracted by their watches.

8. Meetings over Lunch: It is never recommended that you have critical meetings during lunch; even if it is your sales numbers meeting. Neither can all participants concentrate on the discussion, nor will they be able to eat their food peacefully. Remember, one of the reasons why you work so hard is, so that you eat good food which is consumed in a disciplined way. Half of our health problems flank us because of our bad eating habits.

9. MOM: It is very critical to have clear documentation of whatever is discussed in the meeting room. Post the meeting, it needs to be shared with the participants, so that implementation of tasks and progress report is mapped from the time the task is in ‘WIP’ (Work in Progress) to ‘Completed’. The MOM should have a standardized template as well. Before closing the meeting, the organizer should summarize the MOM for all as a reiteration. Post that it should be emailed to all.

10. Seek Feedback: Don’t think that if you are the HOD, you are perfect in terms of conducting meetings. There is always scope for improvement to ensure that your next meeting is more effective. By doing this, your team and colleagues will demonstrate more respect for you.

The way you end your meeting is just as important as how you open and run the meeting. Ensure to thank people for their time and inputs. This is basic etiquette.

So, how will you conduct your meeting today?