Give Good Meetings

by Dr. Tony Alessandra,
author of "Dr. T's Timely Tips"

Meetings aren't supposed to be, as one office wag said, "A practical alternative to working." Another said, "Meetings are not supposed to be a place where they take minutes and waste hours." In fact, if you plan the time and space, meetings can be productive, as well as a means of promoting relationships.

Space. Try to hold meetings in an attractive location so participants will feel comfortable and important. If they enjoy their surroundings, they'll probably have a more positive attitude toward the discussion. A neutral location avoids the territorial problems of meeting on someone else's turf. Movable seating allows participants to establish their own semi fixed territories and spatial arrangements.

Time. Meetings have been described as "a place where you keep the minutes and lose the hours." To avoid this, it's always wise to have an agenda and a time limit. Tell everyone when you expect the meeting to end. That'll help everyone stay on track and get everything done.

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