A Return on Time

My time is my most important resource, and just like my money I invest my time extremely wisely - particularly in meetings.

Well planned and executed meetings are great.

Poorly planned and executed meetings are terrible. I avoid these.

Make the most of your meetings and demonstrate your respect of the time, energy and talent of others who may need be involved in the meeting. These simple steps will ensure that your meetings are productive and add value to your clients and teammates.

1.      Plan Ahead – way ahead. Give yourself and others plenty of time to plan for the meeting. Use the rule of thumb below for the notice you should give depending upon the issue:

Someone is bleeding or about to die; something is on fire:  Critical/Now

Something is pending that could make someone bleed, die or catch something on fire: Urgent within 1 to 4 hours

You overlooked an end of the day deadline to the IRS and need help requesting an extension: Semi-urgent within 8 hours

Other obviously important matters:  Important within the week

Everything else:  Should be planned, scheduled and managed

Most issues do not require our immediate attention or the immediate attention of others. Proper planning dictates that critical, urgent and semi-urgent matters be prevented or anticipated and planned.

If you constantly find yourself chasing your tail review the imperative skills of planning and execution. Ninety-nine point nine percent of your meetings (and activities) should be the result of a plan rather than a reaction.

2.      Know why you are having the meeting. If you call the meeting, know why you called the meeting and who absolutely needs to be attendance and why. If someone else called the meeting, it is your responsibility to determine if you absolutely must be in attendance and why. What are you expected to contribute? If the answer is “nothing” or "I don't know", respectfully decline the meeting or do not invite that person. 

3.      Be prepared. If you called the meeting, send out details well in advance of the meeting, and send this out more than once. If you did not call the meeting, request details of the meeting including agenda, purpose, handouts, etc. Request until you receive these details. Typically, if I request these details and do not receive them in a timely manner (2 to 3 days prior depending upon the meeting), I respectfully decline the meeting citing the lack of time to adequately prepare.

4.      Expect everyone else to be prepared. If you called the meeting, a polite request for everyone to read the materials beforehand is always appropriate. If someone else called the meeting and sent you the necessary materials, read it, make notes and be prepared to contribute. If after reading the material you are unclear about the meeting’s purpose or your contribution request more details. If you are still not clear, respectfully decline the meeting and invest your time elsewhere. Out of respect for others do the same for those you invite. If the reason for a person to attend is not obvious do not invite that person.

5.      Respect everyone’s time, energy and priorities. Do not invite anyone last minute. If someone has been missed and you absolutely must have them at your meeting respect their time enough to simply reschedule the meeting. Salvage as much as you can if you have invited people from long distances, and because of your error you forgot to invite someone, but do not hijack someone else’s schedule due to your lack of preparation or planning. 

6.      Give lines well in advance of the play. Tell everyone you invite what their expected role or contribution is during the meeting. Ideally, your agenda should spell this out. If it does not a simple prompt will help.

7.      Start on time and End on time!

Make the most of your meetings and demonstrate your respect of the time, energy and talent of others who may need be involved in the meeting. These simple steps will ensure that your meetings are productive and value-added activities rather than huge time-wasters.

I am a certified public accountant in private practice in Louisiana.  Click here to continue the conversation.  Currently accepting new clients I can reached at (337) 654-6032 or [email protected] for an initial consultation.  I provide financial, accounting and executive-level business advisory services to a diverse and broad set of clients.  My experience is concentrated in the following specialized industries:  hospitals, group medical practices, pharmacies, outpatient surgery centers, fitness & wellness centers, retail firms, and music and entertainment industries.