Don't meet - do the work

I get quizzed a lot by friends and colleagues now that I've opened up my own consulting practice. And, the primary question I get is "what's the biggest difference from working in an environment with lots of people?"

The answer is simple - I now have time to do the work.

Meetings are the bane of corporate life. There's the misguided behavior of believing that meetings equal productivity. And, who among us doesn't know the work colleague who seems to take pride in saying "I'm sorry, I can't see you today - I'm in meetings all day." Really!? What business self-help book ever said that was the way to be productive?

I know that meetings are necessary, and I of course still participate in meetings with my clients and business prospects. Keep the following basic suggestions in mind and, who knows - perhaps then you'll be able to have time to do the work.

- The more people, the less effective the meeting. There is a rule of seven - beyond that number, the odds of coming to a quick and effective decision are lowered by 10 percent for every person added to the invitee list of a meeting. Don't invite anyone who can't meaningfully contribute to the decisions that need to be made in the meeting.

- Have a stated purpose, agenda and time limit. In my Sprint days, every meeting had to have this P.A.L. It was interesting to see how meeting effectiveness improved with this meeting mandatory. (Be sure to send the agenda in advance of the meeting.)

- Do a plus/delta at the end of the meeting. Give your meeting attendees the opportunity to provide feedback on the effectiveness and efficiency of the meeting by conducting a quick what worked/what needs improvement discussion during the final two minutes of any meeting. Take that feedback into consideration for your next/future meetings.

- Provide pre-read materials. Providing background information in advance of the meeting usually improves the outcomes and ability to make decisions...as long as the materials are read.

- 30 minute meetings. Discipline yourself, and your company, to have 30 minute meetings as the new normal. Make an hour-long meeting the exception, not the rule.

There are plenty of other meeting tips. Implementing these five, though, will immediately impact meeting effectiveness and, I would bet, your personal productivity as a result.