Track the cost of meetings and use computer-enabled simultaneity to make them more productive. Participants spend more time digressing than discussing. Most meetings in most organizations are decidedly agenda free. The challenge is to keep the meeting focused without stifling creativity or insulting those who stray. People do not convert decisions into actions.
People leave meetings with different views of what happened and what is supposed to happen next.
Avoid misunderstanding by converting from meeting to focusing on the creation of shared documents that lead to action. There is plenty of conversation but little candor. Too often people in meetings simply do not speak their mind. It may be due to a leader that does not solicit information, or a dominant, intimidating personality, but most of the time, it is a lack of trust. It may be a sobering comment on our workplace, but giving people assurance that their identity will be protected usually works.