Thousands of business meetings take place across the country at any moment of every day. Some are a springboard for launching new product or ideas. Most are simply regularly scheduled meetings, occurring year round, regardless of current business activity.

Thousands of business meetings take place daily and it is likely that less than half are actually structured events. If they are, it is likely someone else’s idea of structure, someone else’s idea of agenda and someone else’s idea of an outcome that unfold before bewildered, bored and confused participants. Why are we discussing this again, and again, and again?!

Hosting or leading meetings is an art. It does not occur to all business leaders to become well versed in the practice of this art. To most, meetings are a matter-of-fact by-product of business, one we do not question anymore than we might question any of the automatic actions we take each day.

In truth, business meetings are a fascinating entity that behaves according to unspoken, yet distinct conventions. Individuals whose talents, intellect, ability to focus, creativity, interests, level of confidence and level of expertise vary wildly, come together and generally choose the same chair around the room or table and interact in the same manner at each encounter. In this configuration, hierarchy becomes a key actor. Without a concerted effort to take this into consideration, the outcome, level of participation and, indeed, the level of interest and resulting action are questionable at best, disastrous at worst.

In some of my former work experiences, leaders had come out of meetings exasperated, bemoaning the fact that no one seemed as dedicated to “the cause” as they were. Employees came out overwhelmed and feeling far more oppressed than encouraged. There was no common goal. Worse yet, no attempt to understand and engage the best qualifications and abilities of each person, no awareness of the great expertise and possibilities at hand, no effort to actually communicate.

Conversely, I recently had the great privilege to sit at business meetings where I have watched as a seasoned business manager sat not at the head of the table, but amongst his employees, and genuinely listened as he invited each of them to speak up, should they have something to share. I have watched in total amazement as he asked questions, drawing from the expertise of the individuals present to seek to improve his own understanding of a situation or concept. I have watched in equal amazement when he took the time to thank each speaker, all of whom were part of his daily business universe, not special guests requiring special decorum. However, to him, it seems, they were his special guests in that moment, and he made sure they felt welcome and honored.

Acknowledging and encouraging employees does not deplete leaders of their authority. Instead, it demonstrates genuine authority, the type that stands on, and instills, confidence. Hierarchy is not about lords and subjects; it is about leaders and creators. It is about mature leaders who recognize, accept and call forth the talents and abilities of each individual, who bring their people together to discuss where they are going together, to remember why they are choosing a certain path, product or approach, to brainstorm solutions and ideas, to decide who amongst them is best equipped for each task and to agree, as one, to take charge separately in order to reach a common goal.

Slainte!

There is a difference between making money and earning it. This realization came to me over the past several months as I peruse the various job search engines to secure employment alongside my personal ventures. In fact, if it were not for the personal ventures, as modest as they are, I wonder how I would fare in this shaky economy.

Moments, literally moments after signing up with CareerBuilder, JobLink, our state department of employment job bank and the likes, I was inundated by SPAM of one nature or another. In the course of each week, I have observed job listings pour in. These are supposed to be at least reasonably tailored to my profile. Instead, they are often up to 70% related to work-from-home scams.

Another aspect of this is the wide use of online recruiting services by employers. For many real jobs I have applied to, I have received a follow-up email informing me that in order to complete the application and be considered for the position, I needed to “click on the link below”, which link directed me to an online application on behalf of the employer. The catch? The agency that offers this service has a motive of its own: Gathering a list of contacts for college recruiters. In fact, one gets to the actual application form only after a college information offer pop-up. There is no way around it. The application cannot be submitted if all fields are not filled out. Then, the phone begins to ring. It is nine o’clock in the evening. A recording from the University of Phoenix comes on. I let the answering machine pick up.

A few days ago, I decided to investigate this system further. I found the agency that provides the online service to employers and discovered that their entire process is not disclosed. They come across as an honest to goodness method for employers to compile lists of applicants and qualifications to assist them in selecting the best candidates with greater ease. The next time this system popped up on my screen, I notified the employer and asked is they were aware of the actual process. They were as shocked as I was, and quite discouraged.

Back to the wonderful make $500 a week from home offers. Many are disguised, very well disguised I might add, as honest to goodness administrative jobs, including a specific office location. I investigated this also. In fact, I found one whose initiator was dumb enough to explain how the entire pyramidal scam works as a means to entice one to join his wonderful, moneymaking scheme for only $1.00, for a limited time only. According to him, I too could make millions by producing unblock-able pop-up ads, acquiring email addresses to my very own passive audience and duplicating the very steps and words he had used to get me to sign up at $1.00. In other words, he gave me all the reason in the world to not sign up. But I am certain many do, out of despair or a sort of momentary false notion that they are not capable of acquiring wealth in any other way, and that wealth is necessary in the first place.

Surely the people at the top of these pyramids probably make quite a few dollars, perhaps even a ridiculously high amount of money, simply by knowing how to network, network, network. Once the net is cast, it is much like fishing. The wider the net area, the more fish are likely to be caught in it. It appears that in today’s economy the phrase “fishers of men” takes on an entirely new meaning.

The thought of sitting at home and watching the dollars accumulate like dumbfounded fish in my virtual net while strangers’ mailboxes are invaded with my crafty emails and unblock-able pop-up ads does not appeal to me. Someone could very well demonstrate and prove that I could get rich overnight by doing so, I still could not conceive of putting so much energy in installing such a system when I could put the same amount of energy, and more, to selling a real, tangible product or service that brings some measure of value or real enjoyment to the persons purchasing it.

I have very low tolerance for this sort of scheme and invasion at a time when so many people are looking for real employment and honest ways to support themselves. Paying $1.00 to learn how to run a moneymaking scheme does only that: It teaches one how to run a scheme to make money. It does not provide the experience of truly earning one’s keep by offering talent and skills to a business, employer, team or project; it does not provide one’s audience or clients with the experience of acquiring an inspiring book or a beautiful object, or receiving valuable services. Making thousands is one thing, earning each dollar through skill, labor and service is a privilege and a way to grow. A dollar earned this way is worth thousands.

Slainte!