Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a "get out of a meeting free" card? Meetings can be very productive — or they can be an incredible waste of time. Not only do you have to consider the hourly rate of the people sitting in the meeting, but also the opportunity cost of what could be done with that time instead. I've known many people who've spent entire days in meetings. They not only accomplish nothing during meeting time, but they also inherit additional work. It's no wonder meetings can be so frustrating! >
Meetings should only be used for issues requiring dialogue, decisions, or team building, not merely for informational issues. Once you've determined that a meeting is the most productive communication channel for your message, here are some ideas for making your meetings more productive.
Consider the timing
Corporate life has trained most people to be "morning people." Our natural energy cycles cause us to be "up" or have "prime" time first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, many people insist on holding meetings at this time. Some kinds of meetings are okay during prime time, like those involving brainstorming, problem solving, or strategic thinking. If you must have routine staff meetings, project updates, or information-only meetings, however, these should be held during lulls in productivity. Similarly, a brainstorming session on Friday afternoon at three o'clock will probably not yield the best results.
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