Meetings. What a drag they can be. They go longer than they’re supposed to. Someone blabs out of turn or off topic. Your mind drifts to tasks you could be checking off instead of sitting there, stuck. Then come the action items and, tag, you’re it. Your to-do list just got longer.
Sound familiar? Sure does to us. But, believe it or not, not all meetings are total timesucks and not all meetings are boring. Some are run like clockwork. With an attendee nip here and an agenda tuck there, they can be much more efficient, productive and, if you’re lucky, even a little fun.
Related: 5 Reasons In-Person Meetings Still Matter
From holding walk-and-talks outside in the fresh air, to scheduling start times like a Swiss train conductor (we kid you not), here are nine clever ways to have more effective meetings, care of the meeting makers at CT Business Travel. Bonus: Not one mention of Robert’s Rules of Order, we promise.
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Related: ‘Owning’ a Room, Even When You Don’t Feel That You Can