Meetings are not supposed to be, as one office critic said, “a practical alternative to working.” In fact, if you plan the time and space, meetings can be productive as well as a means of promoting relationships.

Time. Meetings have been described as “a place where you keep the minutes and lose the hours.” To avoid this, it’s always wise to have an agenda and a time limit. Tell everyone when you expect the meeting to end. That will help everyone stay on track and get everything done.

Space. Try to hold meetings in an attractive location so participants will feel comfortable and important. If they enjoy their surroundings, they will probably have a more positive attitude toward the discussion. A neutral location avoids the territorial problems of meeting on someone else’s turf. Movable seating allows participants to establish their own semi-fixed territories and spatial arrangements.

Meetings do not have to waste people’s time; if planned and executed correctly, they can be a useful and constructive activity.

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