Adopt the mind-set that meetings are real work. They should accomplish twice as much in half the time. Few meetings, gurus tell us, should ever be scheduled for more than 90 minutes. Now a software package allows any team or department to keep a running track of how much the meeting is costing. Groupware designed to enhance the productivity of meetings is a hot commodity.
Time is money.
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.