Are you wasting time in meetings?

Are your days filled with back-to-back meetings that waste time because decisions aren’t made and nor do they bring the team closer together?  

Most leaders I work with claim the number of and time spent in unproductive meetings, is out of control. Is this true for you?

Reality is, nothing will change unless you change. So, before you habitually turn up to the next ‘weekly ops meeting’ or accept a meeting request, stop to:

Clarify the purpose – ask why the meeting is important and what the organiser intends to achieve. If you don’t respect your time, no one else will.

Ask why me – ask why it’s important you attend. If you think some one else knows more and is closer to the matter, suggest they rather attend.

What preparation to do  – before you attend, ask what preparation you need to do – know what you need to read, think about, and come prepared to share.  

A commitment…

For every meeting you organise, ensure all invitees know the purpose, why they’ve been invited and what preparation they need to do. The greatest sign of respect is to respect others’ time.