ELMO: A New Approach to Effective Communication

Effective communication is key to the success of any team. However, many teams struggle with cutting each other off and wasting time talking about unnecessary things. If your week is already full of meetings, it’s frustrating when the team becomes stuck in a loop around a particular topic. With each team member contributing their own information and insights, the discussion may start to feel like a never-ending cycle of repeated points and opinions.

This is not only a waste of time, but it can end up hurting your business in the long run, to the point where everyone on your team begins to experience a lack of productivity, and ultimately, a failure to achieve goals. That’s where ELMO comes in: “Enough, Let’s Move On.” During an EOS session, this is when we would throw the horse into play.

Stop Your Meetings (and Business) From Going in Circles

Many of my clients have experienced issues during their meetings where their team gets stuck on a particular topic. While it’s a good sign to have a team that is passionate about different approaches to growing their businesses, discussions can become repetitive and unproductive.

If your team is experiencing these types of meetings, remember ELMO! ELMO is not just about cutting people off or shutting down discussions. It’s about being clear and kind in your communication. Once an issue or topic has been resolved, there’s no need to beat a dead horse. By moving on to the next topic without everyone chiming in, everyone stays focused and the meetings become a productive, valuable part of your week.

Empower Your Team to Say ELMO

Here are some tips to remember while you’re in your meetings that will help them stay on track:

Be respectful: Old habits of repetitive discussion can be hard to break, so make sure everyone on your team is empowered to use the horse stress toy as a friendly way to call each other out when they start to slip into old patterns. This helps keep the meeting on track and avoid beating the dead horse.

Be clear: If you’ve ever had an EOS session with me, you’ll have heard me say: “Clear is kind.” While you may think that sparing the feelings of your colleagues by not giving them feedback is the kind thing to do, you’re actually doing them a disservice. By beating around the bush or going in circles on important topics regarding the business, you’re not giving them the opportunity to learn, improve, and grow.

Stay focused: During our EOS sessions, we work together to establish a shared vision and set short and long term goals. It’s on you as a leader to share that vision and goals with your entire team to keep the big picture in mind when solving issues. By framing the conversation around your big goals, you’ll be able to focus on long-term solutions rather than quick fixes.

Discover How Much You Can Achieve With ELMO

Don’t feel discouraged or frustrated if your team struggles with repetitive discussions and meetings. It’s a common experience for entrepreneurial teams as they grow their businesses, but it’s important to move past it in order to make progress. So don’t be afraid to say ELMO! Once your team gets into the habit of effective IDS and being clear and kind, you’ll be able to be more productive, achieve your goals, and take your business to the next level.

If you’re interested in how EOS can help you find your perfect meeting pulse and empower your team to say enough ELMO, contact me for your free, 90-minute meeting!