
Leaders know very well that a meeting is an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn relevant information, but they also know that meetings are the worst time wasters that you can have in a job. Â That’s why a leader always follows the next steps before attending a meeting.
1. Do I know what the goal of the meeting is?
This is so important, but a lot of people don’t even ask themselves if there’s a good reason to meet. Sometimes they go to a meeting only because your colleague is going to be there, or your boss asked you to do so. Whatever the reason, it’s very important for you to know what the goal of the meeting is. If there’s no specific goal to attend the meeting, you can suggest that instead of the meeting the person who’s organizing it sends an email or a memo explaining his/her points.
2. Is there an agenda?Â
Any effective meeting has an agenda, and you should ask to know it before attending. The main reason is for you to be prepared, just like the other participants. In that way, the meeting can be over as soon as possible, and there’ll be more possibilities to reach the goal. The other purpose an agenda has is to keep to focus of the meeting only on the things that were declared to be disscused.Â
3. Who’s gonna be there?
Is the right people going to be there? The right people is the people needed to achieve the goal of the meeting. That’s why you need a goal for the meeting. If the “right people” is not going to attend the meeting it’s better to re-schedule the meeting, or change the scope (goal) of the meeting  (that will lead you to point 1 again) and reevaluate your participation.
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1. The next time you’re asked to assist a meeting, try to know the goal and the agenda before going in.Â
2. The next time you organize a meeting, set the goal and agenda, send them two or three days before and only ask the “right people” to attend.Â
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Remember, Be Alert, Be A Leader.
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1 comment
Making an Agenda Saves lot of time in any meeting and action to be taken can be more refined .
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