How To Run Meetings That Work

Here are some great tips from authors Michael Mankins and Eric Garton about how to run meetings that work:

Be sure a meeting is appropriate. Meetings are great for gathering input and coming to a group decision. They aren't so good for drafting a strategy document, for example. Ensure a meeting is the best way to get the job done.
Set a clear -- and selective -- agenda. A clear agenda communicates priorities. It also tells people what they can safely postpone or ignore.
Insist on advance preparation.
Practice good meeting hygiene. Start on time. Clarify the purpose of every meeting. Spell out people's roles in decisions. Create a decision log that captures every decision made in a meeting.
End early, particularly if the meeting is going nowhere.

Mankins and Garton are the authors of the book, Time, Talent, Energy.

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