The in-house average meeting costs around $50 a person.
Unproductive meetings aren’t just a waste of your time, they’re a waste of your money.
These tried-and-true tips from industry experts will ensure your next meeting is more than just a test of your staff’s attention spans:
- Keep ’em on their feet. Studies show that concentration and interest goes awry around 40 minutes into a meeting. Keeping people on their feet (literally) helps to stave off meeting ADD. Another added bonus: It makes it harder for people to type away on their laptops or BlackBerrys.
- Keep it clear. The best way to do this is by handing out a written agenda to each participant before a meeting — and sticking to that agenda. The more people know beforehand, the more interested they’ll be during the actual meeting. On the agenda, be sure to label items as informational or actionable.
- Keep it short. Chances are you’re blocking out too much time for meetings. The most effective ones usually run 30 minutes or less. One way to stay on track: Have a giant timer that counts down the seconds and minutes left for each item and for the whole meeting — it works for Google!
