Meetings are often perceived as a necessary evil, but why not eliminate this perception by making them more productive? This can only be achieved by respecting the most important rule: start and finish your meetings on schedule!
Never mind forgiving those who show up late, show your gratitude to those who arrive on time by starting the meeting as planned, by doing the opposite, you undermine every future meeting. The usual suspects will always be late, while those who respectfully show up as scheduled will inevitably think ʺwhy bother showing up on timeʺ.
Successful meetings are usually a reflection of the thought that was put into them. Prepare a point-by- point meeting agenda in priority order of the issues to be discussed and the allotted time for each. Provide a copy to every participant ahead of time along with all other relevant documents.
Start the meeting by covering the items that have an impact on individual employees first, such as salaries or holidays, instead of general issues. These important issues will be sorely missed by those showing up late, as there is no rewind!
Be the timekeeper and stay on topic, no matter what. Remind participants of the remaining time at the beginning of each new subject. Finally, finish as scheduled, even if there are a few minor issues that weren’t covered.
Demonstrate your leadership skills, as unproductive or unsatisfactory meetings are a source of frustration that can undermine the attitude and enthusiasm of any group.