Friday, April 25, 2008

Meetings...Can they be productive?

I am sure that everyone has been in that meeting that really should have lasted 20 min and carried on for 2 hours. This drives me crazy! I recently have avoided scheduling meetings in favor of the in prompt to meeting. Short, to the point and get it done.

What is especially annoying to me is the meeting without a leader. Most of the time if you call the meeting you are the leader. What should a leader provide during a meeting?

1. An agenda sent out prior to the meeting. That way if people want to add topics, you can put on the agenda and everyone can be prepared.

2. Keep on time. If it is a 30 min meeting. Be on time, on task and get it DONE!

3. Keep on topic. Sure you can get on the edges of topics. But the job of the meeting leader is to bring the group back on topic.

4. If another meeting needs to be set. Do it now.

5. Don't set meetings to just have meetings. WHY DO THIS? Cancel meetings if you don't need them!

6. BE PREPARED! Don't waste peoples time.

7. Don't schedule for 2 hours when you need one. You will end up using 2.

Admittedly I don't follow my own rules all the time. I am getting better...Sorry for the rant today!

2 comments:

Sales Guy said...

Steve;
Very timely. It seems like there are always too many time wasters out there that take away from what is really important - taking care of the customer.

Stuart R. Crawford said...

Steve, I personally can't stand meetings myself. I have been to way to many of them that seem to have no agenda, no time limit and it ends up being a social gathering rather than getting anything done.

Stuart Crawford
Calgary, AB
http://www.stuartcrawford.com