Dr. Ryan Meers

About me

I have a passion for education and especially for ensuring that all of us continue to apply what we have learned. I am excited about the opportunity that the Lounge provides for all of us to discuss how we are applying what we have learned & to share those great ideas.

I have had a varied background from secondary education to corporate training & now working in the career college sector. But while I have moved in different circles it has always been surrounding my passion of education. I look forward to our conversations.

Website

http://www.maxknowledge.com/faculty.php?id=11172

Activity

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Effective Presenter

Tim, Great ideas. A couple of other things that I have found to be particularly effective are to follow the old rule of tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them & then tell them what you just told them. This helps to cement the points. Another technique is to allow the audience to check in. This can be done at strategic points in your presentation. After talking for a few minutes, pause, have the group pair up & ask them to discuss for 90 seconds to 2 minutes a couple of thought provoking questions pertaining to your… >>>

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Capable Coach

Melissa, Good points. Managing is more about the day to day activities of getting the work done. Coaching is more of what I consider the "leading" aspects. Helping employees achieve more & push themselves to higher levels. Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Skilled Persuader

Great question that I believe many who are called on to present in these type of situations face. In these situations I believe that initially you must rely on your credentials as to why you are there speaking for that credibility. However, once the presentation begins, I think you start pulling in these other ideas such as being connected to your audience, demonstrating the work you have put in to acquiring this knowledge, etc. Do you agree? Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Skilled Persuader

Absolutely! Great observations Cavin. To your first comment, listening is so key to building credibility with others. In regard to your second comment, I could not agree with you more. I work with a lot of leaders who are afraid to admit they don't know everything because they operate from a twisted perspective that this admission would hurt their credibility. When, to your point, admitting that you are not the expert in everything but are willing to learn, this is the way to be credible. Great comments. Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Skilled Persuader

William, I think you're right on. Especially in regard to maintaining the understanding & appreciation of the skills & work of your direct reports. Way too often it seems this part is overlooked & this can quickly damage the credibility of the leader. Great perspective & ideas. Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Capable Coach

Frank, I think you're right on track. I would also add that coaching an employee can also deal with helping them with their long-term development & career goals. Coaching is really about having a conversation with the employee & listening to them on a deeper level. Through these conversations you have the opportunity to help them truly discover their areas of strength & how to move toward their goals. Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

Overcoming Resistance

Good ideas. I recently came across the idea of using "gerunds" in these situations. Gerunds are those words ending with -ing. So asking others, "what are thinking about this?" or "what is concerning you about this?" Questions like this can help them articulate where their resistance is & then assist you in addressing their concerns. Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Skilled Persuader

Listening is definitely a huge part of building credibility as it demonstrates a willingness to hear what others have to say. I'm curious as to what you mean by relating to them with sound credentials? Could you tell me more about this, it sounds like a great approach & I would like to get some further insight. Thanks, Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Skilled Persuader

Cynthia, Great ways to build credibility. I think what I hear is that you communicate & keep your peers, superiors, etc informed. This is huge. I have found that most people are willing to work with us as long as we keep them informed if we are going to be late on a commitment. Always remember that credibility takes a long time to build, but can be destroyed in a moment. Ryan

Dr. Ryan Meers

Discussion Comment

The Capable Coach

Great thoughts Sean. There are so many definitions out there about coaching that it can be confusing at times. In addition to your description, a leader as coach can also help the employee with their overall career development. By asking powerful questions, the leader/coach can help the coachee discover what it is they really want & then chart a course to get there. Great job. Ryan

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