8
Manage meetings
Have you noticed that in some organisations managers seem
to spend all their working time in meetings? They never seem
to be available to talk to you — perhaps a potential customer or
supplier.Meetings, both of groups and between individuals, are obviously
essential. You cannot lead or manage without them.But, putting on your time management hat, you should constantly
ask yourself three fundamental questions:Manage meetings
| • | Is this meeting really necessary? |
| • | If so, how much of my time is the subject of it really worth? |
| • | Will it begin on time and end on time? |
There are various sorts of meetings — briefing, advisory, council, committee, negotiating. They can be divided into categories, roughly according to how decisions are taken. It is important to know what kind of meeting it is, but remember that a particular meeting may blend two or more of these basic types.
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