Big Dog calls a meeting. You and five other managers show up while Big Dog holds court. The meeting is poorly planned, no agenda, you hate it, you hate meetings in general. Can’t we get back to something more productive?

I am adamant about agendas. Agendas make thinking more efficient and focused. Agendas help leverage time. But Big Dog is already leveraging time. He has five managers in the room, he only has to explain himself once. That’s (1:5) time-leverage.

Where’s the time-leverage for the Manager in a meeting with Big Dog Boss? There isn’t any!! That is why the Manager, who is now working (1:1), one hour’s work for one hour’s productivity, has more vested interest than Big Dog Boss to make sure there is an agenda.

Interesting, isn’t it? The person in the room who has the least chance of gaining time-leverage from the meeting should be the one screaming for the agenda. Do you insist on agendas in your meetings? Both the meetings you run and the meetings you attend? -TF

P.S. Join Executive Management Online, class forming now for January 22, 2005.