We’ve all been to a meeting where, at the end, you were standing around going…

“That could have been an email.”

To avoid that happening in my professional life, I have developed four rules that I try to hold myself and my team accountable to.

Tips for running an effective meeting

1. Set a time limit of 45 minutes
   Most people, myself included, will not focus at a high level for more than 45 minutes. A well structured and prepared team should be able to get together, discuss and execute everything that needs to happen in under 45 minutes.
2. Always set a meeting agenda
   Make sure people know why they’re coming and what’s expected of them. An agenda helps to make that clear. If a tend member shows up unprepared, move on to the next item on the list. If key people are unprepared, set next steps and adjourn.
3. No more than 5 participants
   It’s difficult to have a group of more than five people and have everyone feel as though they’ve participated in making the right things happen. Unless the goal is to communicate a message, like a town hall or a team update, I always try to keep the group as small as possible.
4. If you call the meeting, its success is on you
   The person who calls the meeting is responsible. Success is judged on your ability to provide context and move the items at hand forward by booking time. Keep your meetings short, keep them effective and make sure people have some fun.