Most people would agree that meetings are a waste of time. One frustrated employee showed me her calendar. Seventy per cent of her time was scheduled for meetings. How can any person or organization be productive if they are sitting in meetings all day? But people need to communicate about their projects, goals, customers, etc. So the question is, when does it make sense to have a meeting?
First, know why and when to call a meeting-What outcomes are you trying to achieve?
When to Have a Meeting
- To gain buy-in and commitment.
- To deliver information to several people quickly.
- To make a time sensitive decision.
- When several people need the same information at the same time.
- You've received several calls or emails about the same situation.
When NOT to Have a Meeting
- Tradition. Your team has always met on this day.
- There is no particular issue or topic.
- You already know what to do and you're the decision-maker.
- The appropriate people are not available to attend.
Use these guidelines reduce the number of meetings and increase your productivity.