Making Meetings Work: A Five-Step Plan (1985)

Discusses the importance of conducting productive meetings and outlines five key steps to improve their effectiveness. Larry Hall, a management consultant, emphasizes that many meetings are unproductive and costly, wasting time and resources. The five steps include: 1) Only meet when necessary and with the right people, 2) Distribute background information in advance, 3) Write agendas focused on outcomes with time allocations, 4) Foster trust in meetings rather than competition, and 5) Record and follow up on decisions and commitments. The text also features a case study of Janet Keel, an area vice president, who implements these steps to enhance her team’s meeting productivity.

Keywords:
meetings, productivity, management, Larry Hall, agenda, outcomes, trust, commitments, case study, Janet Keel, background information, time management, decision-making, team collaboration, organizational efficiency.