How to cut down on wasted time in meetings

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There are many of us that some meetings are a waste of time because they take up valuable time that could be spent far more productively. This is unfortunate because a well-run meeting can be effective in keeping everyone informed, engaged, and ready to contribute to the growth and success of your business. Below are a few tips to achieve just that.

Every meeting should include a brief and clearly defined objective before ever getting scheduled and everyone attending the meeting should clearly understand this end goal. Having a goal gives the meeting a direction and purpose.

Each meeting should have a start and end time. Having an open ended time frame deters others who have a tight schedule to not want to show up. Honor everyone’s time and implement an outlined schedule of the meeting and stick to it.  Whenever possible, schedule shorter meetings. It can surprise you how much one can accomplish when there is a timeline in place.

Whenever possible, schedule shorter meetings. It can surprise you how much one can accomplish when there is a timeline in place.

If you expect to have productive discussions on any particular topic, or you’re looking for input or solutions, provide the material in advance to everyone, so they have time to prepare and are ready to go at the meeting.

Keep control of the meeting. There are many people that will talk endlessly on a topic and take the meeting off schedule or bring up unrelated topics that need not be discussed at this time. Don’t let them. When someone brings up an issue that is not on the agenda, politely ask the person if he or she would like to defer the rest of your agenda to another day and replace it with this new topic or would it be okay to convene a new meeting on the new topic.

Lastly, keep the invite list short. A smaller group can be more productive rather than inviting a whole department and finding it difficult to stay on topic.

Following these tips in your meetings will help you achieve your goals and keep your attendees engaged. In addition to these tips, the right kind of environment can make your meetings more effective. Our board rooms at The Office Quarters have all the amenities you need to run an effective meeting. We will provide you with the technical and administrative support you need to run a great meeting.

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