Meetings need not be an hour, or half an hour.
I can have a very to-the-point meeting in 10 minutes, or less.
As a Consultant, our time is costly to the client, and I always stress to my team members to always make sure they have an objective for every meeting, and that they strive to achieve it.
Having worked in an end-user environment, I’ve been invited to so many meetings without real objective, where participants meander in their conversation and direction.
Internal “requirement gathering” sessions take painstakingly long, because no one really does any preparation before hand, even though I might have sent out agendas and briefed key individuals ahead of time.
Internal projects take longer, and can be more expensive, but the cost is ‘invisible’.
Hire a consultant, where you know their day rate is xxx, and you will see meetings and face to face workshops become a lot more efficient and productive.
That’s one key difference between a “buy” or “build” strategy around project implementation.
Sometimes companies engage a consulting partner to get that proverbial kick up the rear end, to make sure that the project actually gets done.
There are meetings that I don’t rush, especially those that lean towards a more personal nature; such as someone sharing a tough experience at home, or with a team member.
Make sure you run your meeting efficiently, but be tactful.
It wouldn’t do to come across as a jerk.
#meetings
#leadership
#projectmanagement
#zenhaoprotip
#productivity
#gettingthingsdone