"Half of Life in Meetings" ©Dr. Connie Sitterly The information contained in these responses should not be considered legal advice. Consult an attorney if you have any legal questions.

Dear Workplace Doctor,  

I spend half my time in meetings and it seems half time in them is wasted! I can't believe I have to attend meetings that the 'leader' doesn't even use an agenda, or calls a meeting because "we haven't had one in awhile." It's sad to watch adults playing games on their electronic organizers. Is it just me or the organization I work for that is this way? What can I do to save time and mounting frustration? I have been appointed a project leader recently and need to have a meeting with my team, but need tips to know how to lead a meeting effectively, not how it's modeled here.

Frustrated

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Dear Frustrated,

You 're not alone. In fact, it's typical to spend half of your time in meetings and half of it is unnecessarily wasted, but it doesn't have to be your norm. Apply a few of the following tips and you'll experience teamwork, solutions, decisions, and motivation instead of frustration.

Before you call a meeting, ask is a meeting format the best method to achieve your purpose, considering cost, time, and availability. If so, include only those people who can contribute. Next, communicate your expectations in advance by providing an agenda, how long the meeting will last (not over an hour and less is better) and how they should prepare for the meeting.

As the project leader, lead your team members through a four step process, present the information, evaluate the information, reach a decision(s), and take action by setting a timetable for completing the assigned tasks. Before dismissing, summarize the conclusions and share your appreciation for their time and contribution.

Afterwards in spite of the differences, take time to evaluate by asking the following questions: What did I do right? What could I improve or do differently?

Warning: Demonstrating effective meeting skills, you may likely be asked to lead more projects.

The Workplace Dr. ^TM