THE CONCEPT
Tailgate meetings have been held ever since the first tailgate was
invented. Before that, who knows what they were called? The fact is, the
concept of the tailgate meeting is not new - it involves gathering a
group of workers around the back of a pickup truck or other location in
the field or work area, having some sodas or sweets to hand out, and
spending a few minutes going over some important work-related
information.
Though the concept isn't new, the effectiveness of a tailgate meeting
for getting information out cannot be taken for granted. This point was
emphasized by Elvia Martinez-Mullins of team Excellence in Agricultural
Management (T.E.A.M.) at the most recent Safety Breakfast Meeting hosted
by the Center for Agricultural Business (CAB). The meeting, held
Wednesday, March 10, was another in the monthly series of agricultural
safety topics sponsored by CAB.
While a tailgate can provide an excellent setting for a short
meeting, there are important principles that must be followed in order
to make the meeting effective - to get the message to the employees,
Martinez-Mullins said.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
As in any presentation, a speaker must know his or her audience in
order to reach them. A presenter who speaks in technical terms beyond
the audience's comprehension, who treats adults like kids, or who makes
caustic comments about audience members' values or beliefs, is going to
lose their interest and respect almost immediately. Make sure the
following three principles are always applied to a speaking situation,
Martinez-Mullins said:
- Know how your workers' cultural background differ from your own.
- Be sensitive to your workers' values
- Be willing to modify your presentation to take into account
different cultures and values systems.
PLAN LOGISTICS
They call them tailgates, but what if the tailgate is out in the full
sun next to the roadway in the middle of a 108-degree day, and a large,
shady tree is a few steps away. According to Martinez-Mullins, one of
the easiest ways to lose an audience is to hold a meeting in a
distractive or uncomfortable setting. He are tips she gave for solving
that problem before it arises:
- Decide beforehand when and where the tailgate will be held.
- Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons.
- Choose the start of a shift rather then the end of one.
- Pick a location where workers will feel at ease - preferably in a
quiet place.
- Make sure the temperature will not be too hot or cold.
CHOOSING SAFETY TOPICS
Tailgates should become known to employees as worthwhile meetings.
Therefore, choose worthwhile topics - those that are immediately relevant
to the health, safety and well-being of workers and the
company. Martinez-Mullins gave these suggestions to help ensure that
employees will look forward to tailgate meetings:
- Limit each session to a single safety topic.
- Choose safety topics that are relevant to your operations.
- Look around for areas where injuries could occur - complete a
"walk-through."
- Review accident records for past on-the-job injuries.
- Talk to employees - get their ideas.
PREPARE YOUR PRESENTATION
An effective presenter is a prepared presenter, Martinez-Mullins
said. By knowing what you want to say, and how long it takes to say it,
you will make efficient use of your time, and your workers' time, and
you will be able to keep their ears in future meetings. Methods of
preparation for an effective presentation include the following:
- Prepare ahead of time.
- Use an outline, fact sheet or script.
- Decide what "visual" aids to use.
- Run through your presentation in advance.
CONDUCT THE SESSION
Running the meeting effectively means putting all preparation work
into final action. Martinez-Mullins stressed that tailgate meetings are
a unique employee gathering, and that certain principles must be applied
to make it work:
- Make it informal
- Keep it focused
- Avoid being too technical
- Be brief (15 minutes)
- Hold meetings consistently
- Use "true-life" examples
AVOID COMMON TRAINING PITFALLS
It's easier to learn from other peoples' mistakes rather than your
own, Martinez-Mullins said. Through her own experience and from hearing
the experiences of others, she has developed a list of questions which,
if all can generate "Yes" answers, can help to make your
tailgate meetings successful:
- Is the training spot comfortable?
- Are the trainers trained?
- Do trainers understand your employees?
- Is the attitude, "accidents CAN be avoided"?
- Are employees being involved?
- Do the sessions run NO MORE than 15 minutes?
- Do the employees relate to the material?
- Is the group kept to a small number?
- Is the session limited to a single topic?
- Do the trainers use visual aids?
PLAN, PREPARE, PRACTICE, PRESENT
Effective tailgate meetings do not happen by accident or in spite of
poor preparation, Martinez-Mullins said. Following the above principles
will help ensure consistent success. For more in-depth training or
services in conducting tailgate meetings, contact Martinez-Mullins
through the Sacramento-based T.E.A.M. at (916) 765-1704.
UPCOMING SAFETY BREAKFAST MEETINGS
The next safety breakfast meeting hosted by CAB will feature
"Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law: The Social Security
Administration Verification System and Immigration Law Compliance."
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, 1999. Speaker will be
Mark Hanna, attorney with the law firm of Barsamian, Saqui & Moody.
The meeting will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the CATI
Conference Room at the California Agricultural Technology Institute,
2910 E. Barstow Ave., Fresno, California.
Safety Breakfast meetings are hosted monthly (normally each second
Wednesday) by the Center for Agricultural Business. The purpose is to
provide a forum for safety professionals to meet and exchange ideas,
information and concerns. Topics vary according to interests and needs
of the agricultural and agribusiness industries.
More than 20 sponsoring businesses and organizations currently
provide financial support for the safety breakfast meetings. Sponsors
names are listed on publicity fliers and signs at the meetings. For more
information or to discuss becoming a sponsor, call (559) 278-4405.
