2. Make sure attendees understand the benefit of attending.

If you are having problems with attendance at meetings, it is usually a sign that people do not see the benefit of being there, but they may not be upfront about this. Instead they may say, “I got caught up with thi

I replied, “Well, people wouldn’t need new tips if they used the old tips.” This isn’t what the writer wanted to hear, nor is this what many of us want to hear, but this is the truth. If we used what we already know, we could avoid a lot of problems -- including unproductive meetings.

Have you ever sat through a meeting only to realize that the real issues were being discussed outside the meeting? Have you ever attended a meeting and asked yourself what the point was?

Many organizations experience what I like to call the “soap opera effect” -- you go to one meeting, then miss a few meetings, and then when you go to the next meeting, it is as if you never missed any meetings at all! Just like the afternoon soaps, you only have to check in once in a while to get caught up.

If everyone was more upfront and honest, meetings could be a wonderful vehicle to accomplish our objectives and goals. It’s staggering to think of the time, productivity, and money lost due to unproductive meetings. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are twelve simple, honest tips for running results-producing meetings in a fraction of the time your unproductive meetings take. If these tips seem like common sense, then ask yourself if people are actually using them. The more tips you use, the more effective your meetings will be.

1. Only include the people who need to attend.

If you are worried about insulting someone who is not included, ask them if they really want to be included. Most likely, people will be thankful that they don’t have to attend another meeting and can get the information they need through other means, such as the meeting minutes.

2. Make sure attendees understand the benefit of attending.

If you are having problems with attendance at meetings, it is usually a sign that people do not see the benefit of being there, but they may not be upfront about this. Instead they may say, “I got caught up with thin

Have you ever sat through a meeting only to realize that the real issues were being discussed outside the meeting? Have you ever attended a meeting and asked yourself what the point was?

Many organizations experience what I like to call the “soap opera effect” -- you go to one meeting, then miss a few meetings, and then when you go to the next meeting, it is as if you never missed any meetings at all! Just like the afternoon soaps, you only have to check in once in a while to get caught up.

If everyone was more upfront and honest, meetings could be a wonderful vehicle to accomplish our objectives and goals. It’s staggering to think of the time, productivity, and money lost due to unproductive meetings. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are twelve simple, honest tips for running results-producing meetings in a fraction of the time your unproductive meetings take. If these tips seem like common sense, then ask yourself if people are actually using them. The more tips you use, the more effective your meetings will be.

1. Only include the people who need to attend.

If you are worried about insulting someone who is not included, ask them if they really want to be included. Most likely, people will be thankful that they don’t have to attend another meeting and can get the information they need through other means, such as the meeting minutes.

2. Make sure attendees understand the benefit of attending.

If you are having problems with attendance at meetings, it is usually a sign that people do not see the benefit of being there, but they may not be upfront about this. Instead they may say, “I got caught up with thi

If everyone was more upfront and honest, meetings could be a wonderful vehicle to accomplish our objectives and goals. It’s staggering to think of the time, productivity, and money lost due to unproductive meetings. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are twelve simple, honest tips for running results-producing meetings in a fraction of the time your unproductive meetings take. If these tips seem like common sense, then ask yourself if people are actually using them. The more tips you use, the more effective your meetings will be.

1. Only include the people who need to attend.

If you are worried about insulting someone who is not included, ask them if they really want to be included. Most likely, people will be thankful that they don’t have to attend another meeting and can get the information they need through other means, such as the meeting minutes.

2. Make sure attendees understand the benefit of attending.

If you are having problems with attendance at meetings, it is usually a sign that people do not see the benefit of being there, but they may not be upfront about this. Instead they may say, “I got caught up with thi

1. Only include the people who need to attend.

If you are worried about insulting someone who is not included, ask them if they really want to be included. Most likely, people will be thankful that they don’t have to attend another meeting and can get the information they need through other means, such as the meeting minutes.

2. Make sure attendees understand the benefit of attending.

If you are having problems with attendance at meetings, it is usually a sign that people do not see the benefit of being there, but they may not be upfront about this. Instead they may say, “I got caught up with thi

2. Make sure attendees understand the benefit of attending.

If you are having problems with attendance at meetings, it is usually a sign that people do not see the benefit of being there, but they may not be upfront about this. Instead they may say, “I got caught up with things,” or “I was too busy.” Of course, if they received a million dollars for attending, they would have found a way. It is often a question of motivation. Here are four questions to ask yourself before calling a meeting. Do we really need to have this meeting? Could we accomplish the same results in another, less time-consuming way? If not, what benefit does the meeting give the attendees? How am I going to convince them of this benefit? The answers to these questions will help you determine what to do to increase the attendance and effectiveness of your meeting.

3. Start the meeting on time.

How often have you intentionally arrived late to a meeting, because you knew you wouldn’t miss anything anyway? Many of us are conditioned to understand that meetings never start on time. It doesn’t have to be that way. Start the meeting at the designated time, continue through the agenda, and don’t provide any reiteration for the latecomers. If anyone requests a review of the missed information, decline. This action will train the attendees that it is important to be on time.

4. Clearly define the purpose of the meeting.

At the start of each meeting, clearly state the meeting’s purpose. Also, make sure the purpose is written on the agenda. When deciding on the meeting’s purpose, think in terms of the overall result or outcome you want to produce. When the purpose is stated upfront, it is easier to re-direct those who would take the meeting off track. If someone brings up an issue that is off topic, simply say, “Since the purpose of this meeting is [fill in the blank], can we tackle that issue at the next meeting, when we could allow time for it?”

5. Have a written agenda.

I find it amazing how o