A discussions with no resolution is a waste. Don’t be a victim of that time sinks. If you get a meeting that can be resolved with an email, be the one to send that email. Resolve the meeting before it even happens. However, there are important meetings. You can still drive these to a conclusion.

To have a successful meeting, go in with a plan. Know what issues you will be tackling and structure the meeting accordingly. A negotiation needs to be handled differently than a learning session.

During the meeting, foster open discussion and the sharing of ideas. This helps everyone to get on the same page. Then they can work together towards the best solution. For open discussion to be successful, search for the best solutions. Be open minded but assertive.

Before the meeting is out, explicitly state the conclusion or agreed upon action items. This ending statement is the reason you had the meeting.

Principles

Book: Principles