You spend your day going in an out of meetings -- one in the morning with your team, another over lunch with your clients, one in the afternoon to brainstorm for a new project. Before you know it, you're day is over and you haven't actually accomplished anything. Meetings are a necessary, but not every meeting is necessary. Most tend to take away from actually allowing you to get work done, and certainly hinders your productivity. Here's how you can reduce the amount of time you spend in meetings to actually get some work done.
A large number of meetings can be avoided. Not everything requires a formal meeting. Sometimes, a quick phone call, an email conversation or just walking over to a colleagues office for a chat can solve your problem. Think through whether the issue actually requires a meeting or if it can all be fixed within a few minutes.
You're managing style can also help reduce the number of meetings you find yourself in. Be accessible to your team and let them know that you're always available if they have questions or concerns. Invite them out for a coffee break, be personable and make everyone feel comfortable around you. Also be encouraging to your team -- make them feel as though they can make decisions on their own so they don't always have to pass things by you in meetings.
When you are in meetings, have an agenda and stick to the time you allotted for said meeting. This will ensure that the meeting stays on track and doesn't waste everyone's time.
What rules do you have holding a meeting?
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