IS THIS MEETING REALLY NECESSARY?

• Position: Useful meetings - Brief Article

If you have attended a meeting that could best be described as a cure for insomnia, you're not alone. According to a survey by Accountemps, a national and international temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, executives typically waste 7.8 hours during an average week, or 2.3 months each year, in needless formal discussions.

"The growing use of project teams has generated more interdepartmental communication and encouraged broader attendance at formal gatherings," notes Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "However, with today's demands for heightened employee productivity and efficiency, it has become increasingly important to give careful consideration to all aspects of meeting planning" He offers the following tips on how to ensure that a meeting is effective:

Consider the primary objective when selecting meeting participants. Whose responsibilities will be most impacted by the topic of...