Alex Kaminski's Blog

Sometimes meetings are great, but they can also be a waste of time. Here are a few tips for having productive meetings:

1. Make sure the meeting has an agenda (and each person knows what is on the agenda).
2. Set a time limit, most meetings should be under 30 minutes.
3. Make sure you are talking to the decision maker; if not don’t waste your time.
4. Have a leader. If you’re meeting with a client or partner, make sure you decide who will lead the talking from your team.

Here’s a quick tip. When you are scheduling a meeting and deciding on what time works for both sides, send a simple message that says: “So, what’s on the agenda for this meeting?”

If the answer is “nothing, just wanted to talk” or some variation of that, the meeting is most likely a waste of time. Of course, sometimes you need to have a friendly meeting just to develop the relationship. In that case, just make sure you’re aware of the opportunity cost.