Understanding the Value of People’s Time

Meetings are necessary, but they become intolerable when they drag on and on, start late, or the discussion goes off the track. It’s annoying when you feel that your time has been hijacked—especially when other projects and responsibilities are in the pipeline. Poor time management is often the cause of this distress. Meetings would be more productive—and less irritating—if all activities started on time, ended on time, and stayed on the topic. As a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that meetings are of benefit to the participants and satisfy the meeting objectives. Running a successful meeting can be boiled down to three things: be purposeful, be engaged, and be respectful of the attendees’ time.