More Productive Meetings

• Turn off all the cell phones and close laptops.
• Distribute the agenda and important information before the meeting.
• Start on time. Waiting for stragglers punishes those who got there on schedule.
• Discuss the most important items first. Resist the temptation to "get quick items out of the way".
• Follow the agenda, but deviate from it if important issues arise.
• Keep the discussion focused on one topic at a time.
• Keep moving the discussion towards the goal.
• Create a place – sometimes called a "Parking Lot" – to list topics for later discussion.
• For long meetings, plan scheduled breaks to keep people from wandering in and out.
• Arrange a later time to discuss issues that involve only a few members.
• Specify a realistic ending time and stick to it.