I've observed a lot of unproductive meetings. In one case I calculated the average number of hours spent preparing for and participating in one weekly meeting over the course of the year. Then I approximated salaries of the participants at an hourly rate. This single meeting cost the organization over $350,000 dollars per year. What's more is that several of the participants told me privately that they don't feel the meeting is useful or productive. I'm not suggesting canceling all meetings, but I'd bet any of you reading this newsletter, that you could absolutely reduce the amount of time spent in meetings, and increase their utility for you and the organization.

One easy way to do this is having the discipline to focus on crystal clear objectives. Before each meeting, are you able to precisely state the purpose of the meeting? Most failures and misunderstandings I see are the result of people trying to move rapidly by diving into actions. Discussing, arguing, and negotiating a variety of different ways to do things, without having a shared understanding of the goal and how it relates to the overall success of the business. Don't settle for vagueness like "to collaborate cross functionally on our goals" Be precise. "To identify opportunities for double digit growth in our top five accounts." Specify your objectives for a meeting before scheduling it or agreeing to attend. You will save a lot of time and money by doing so.  

A Slice of Life Balance           

• Get outside for at least ten minutes each day. Fresh air does wonders, and too many of us allow ourselves to be cooped up indoors. Can't afford ten minutes at work? Take a colleague and talk business. Maybe you will see things from a different perspective.