Q. "How can I cut down on meetings?"
Answer:
Unnecessary meetings not only waste time and money but hurt your organization's culture. Make sure meetings are necessary and well thought out by asking these four questions before you schedule:
1. Is it really necessary?
Does this need to be a meeting or will an email suffice? Don't just schedule a meeting out of habit. Make sure the topic really warrants gathering multiple people in the same room.
2. Who actually needs to be present?
Did you invite someone "just because"? Make sure people in attendance are key stakeholders in the topic. Others can always be informed of the details via email.
3. Who will host and who will run the meeting?
This is key for having a truly productive meeting. You need at least one, and preferably two, people who facilitate and keep the meeting moving.
4. What are the logistics?
What time are you meeting? Where are you meeting? What special equipment do you need? Map it all out ahead of time to make sure you have everything you need for your meeting to succeed.