In the most recent edition of Inc. magazine, Jamie Walters of Ivy Sea, Inc. (and, most recently, author of Big Vision, Small Business) discusses the variables that distinguish an effective meeting from one that is a complete waste of time in the article, “Meetings 101: Was That a Good Meeting, or a Bad One?”

According to Walters, here are five causes of a good meeting:

1. Have a good reason to meet in the first place.

2. Have an agenda that clearly states the purpose of the meeting and key steps to satisfying that purpose by the end of the meeting.

3. State a timeframe at the beginning of the meeting and sticking to it, with few exceptions.

4. Require that participants come prepared to discuss the topics on the agenda, meaning that participants have received the agenda and have been told what's expected from them personally.

5. Have some degree of skilled facilitation – someone who can keep participants focused on the agenda items and can navigate prickly interpersonal issues so that the meeting is effective instead of dysfunctional.

Find the entire article at www.inc.com/articles/leadership_strat/leading_company/emp_management/25007.html.

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