10 minute power meeting technique.

When you have internal meetings try to keep them short. I often see meeting in small organisations that linger on and on, often even about non - business issues. Large corporations have often the shortest meetings at director level, while lower down in the organisation the meetings go on and on, too. Don’t waste your valuable 9 to 5 business time like that.

Look at you calendar and write next to each meeting how long it should take and stick too it.

While it is important to socialize, you have to make sure your tasks get done on time, so calling a meeting for ten minutes to just discuss the issue at hand will instill a sense of urgency and focus into the participants of the meeting. If you allow the meeting to drag on, by the time it’s over nobody remembers what the meeting was about.

Let me say it with the words of the British chairman of Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd. Arthur Bryan, who had this advice for any small business:

The key is not to spend time, but using it.

Remember this is a rule for internal meetings, for meetings with customers this rule does not apply - within reason of cause. The customer should determine the length of the meeting. Suppliers will probably thank you for short meetings, so they too can get more done.

Meet with coworkers after work for bowling or golf, that will build your team spirit and give your team the social time needed. ST.

4 Responses to “10 minute power meeting technique.”

1. THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG » Blog Archive » Time Management for Small Business: Cut to the Chase
   http://www.sme-blog.com/small-business/client-relations/time-management-for-small-business-cut-to-the-chase
   
   Said on November 2nd, 2007 at 8:19 am

   […] in the week I wrote a piece on the 10 minute power meeting and on the 10 second marketing speech. The issue here is clearly getting things done in as little […]

2. David Daly
   http://outofthetriangle.wordpress.com/
   
   Said on November 9th, 2007 at 9:16 am

   I totally agree with you that meetings are often too long and achieve too little. I particularly like your idea of planning in advance how long a meeting should take and sticking to it. If you are interested I recently posted my techniques for keeping meetings short and effective on my blog in The Best Meetings Are Short.

3. Penny Pullan
   http://www.makingprojectswork.co.uk
   
   Said on January 21st, 2008 at 11:21 am

   I agree with you that meetings are often far too long. I run a small business advising companies on improving their projects and programmes through better meetings.

   I have developed lots of practical ideas that people can apply straight away in addition to those in this blog. There’s not space to share them all here - for ‘12 1/2 ways to make your meetings work’ and an innovative meeting start up template, please sign up at www.makingprojectswork.com. This won’t cost you a penny but will stop you wasting your valuable time in rambling meetings!

4. Banner Maker Guy
   http://www,puresilva.com/
   
   Said on August 26th, 2008 at 6:36 pm

   Meetings should get straight to business and end with business. Not only that, invite only the most necessary people to a meeting. I’ve been to many meetings where I’ve been on the periphery of what’s being discussed and frankly it’s rather annoying to know you’re just wasting time there.

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