Hi, I’m Bill Robb, Managing Director of Brilliant Web Workshops.
	Ensure that your meetings get the results you want Call meetings only when strictly necessary Cut in half the time your meetings take while still getting results Make people feel that your meetings have been worthwhile Deal with difficult people in meetings Escape meetings when they're a waste of time Use attendance at meetings to your advantage Scrap meetings you don't need Become recognised as someone who runs brilliant meetings.

1. Don't use valuable meeting time to transmit information: always strive to do this beforehand on paper or e-mail.
   
   
2. Without a proper, published agenda you're lost!
   
   
3. Consult colleagues when compiling the agenda. Ask for items or send out a preliminary agenda for comment.
   
   
4. When an item is offered for the agenda, ask the colleague to express the problem (the decision to be taken) as clearly as possible. Ask how much time will be needed to discuss the problem adequately.
   
   
5. At the start of the meeting ask for additional important items and adjust the agenda if necessary.
   
   
6. Hold more, very short, pre-meetings or telephone discussions. If an item involves only two or three people, settle this outwith the main meeting.
   
   
7. Make decisions more specific. Write down clearly what is to be done, who is to do it, how they are to do it and a date for completion.
   
   
8. Monitor the progress of agreed tasks one week after the meeting and well before the completion date. This ensures tasks get done and prevents duplicating discussion on actions previously agreed.
   
   
9. During the meeting, for each agenda item, test frequently to see if a decision is possible. Sometimes discussion continues when there is no need.
   
   
10. Ask people to attend meetings only for the item(s) relevant to them.

See how much time you can save in your next meeting!

 

 

 

These ten tips are only the start.

Ineffective meetings are probably the most frustrating time-wasters managers face. Survey after survey shows that most managers find meetings a waste of time, and that they could use their time more effectively to help their organisations. There are even more powerful secrets for making the meetings you run or attend more productive. Two techniques in particular will HALF the time people spend in your meetings without endangering quality! If you attend many meetings there are things you can do to minimise the agony and waste of time. I'd like to share them with you.

Have a go at the following FREE Taster Exercise. Enjoy!

 

 

© 1999 - 2000 Dr William M Robb, PhD, DEd