Controlling Time in Meetings
Meetings consume much of the manager’s time, and much of that time is wasted. To manage meetings follow these rules (Merritt, 2009):
● Do not meet simply because you always meet on Monday morning. If no meeting is needed, cancel it.
● Invite only key people to initial meetings. Others can be sent the minutes or invited to fu- ture meetings.
● Establish the meeting’s goal and outcomes expected at the outset. ● Send information before the meeting so time is not spent reading it. ● Set a time limit for all meetings. Routine meetings should last no more than one hour. If
more time is needed, schedule another meeting. ● Determine the agenda and keep to the topic. ● Follow-up with actions assigned.