Manage the Meeting

Beginning with my time as a 4-Her in the midwestern US, I learned how to conduct effective meetings. Such that, by the time I was in college, my tolerance for poorly run meetings was very low. Thus began my focus on improving meetings.

Unless meeting leaders and participants manage every meeting, the meetings take on a life - yes an unproductive one at that - of their own. Manage the meeting so it doesn't manage you. For starters, have an agenda that includes the following.
* Day, Date of the meeting *Start and STOP times for the meeting
* Contact person/meeting leader name
* Agenda topics and Time alotments and Topic Discussion Leaders
* Introductions 2 minutes Leader
* Item One 10 minutes Topic Leader
* Item Two 15 minutes Topic Leader
* Item Three (and so on) 20 min. Topic Leader
* Meeting Summary of decisions and assignments 10 minutes Leader
* Adjourn 1 minute