Greater ROI from your Meetings

Want Greater ROI from Your Meetings?
Six Questions that will Make the Difference
Article contributed by Ian Cook of Fulcrum Associates Inc.

First there's the suffocating volume of e-mails. That's complaint number one. But the next biggest gripe I hear from my clients is that they are spending way too much time in meetings.

Do any of these comments ring true about meetings where you work?

too long

no agenda (or, if there is one, we don't follow it)

rambling, we get off topic a lot

little is actually decided

could have just circulated a memo

the boss does all the talking

no follow-through on commitments made

I can never quite figure it out? With people so strapped for time, it seems clear that excessive meetings consume a "mother load" of time that busy people today could put to better use. Why aren't we "mining" time from our meetings?

If you agree with me and want to go after some of that precious time, adopt the following fundamental mind set about your meetings: treat every meeting as an investment. Attendees' time and energy are valuable resources. When you call a meeting, always be thinking of how you can maximize the payback on everyone's investment of time.

Here are six questions to ask yourself so your meetings will be productive and satisfying for all involved