November 5, 2009

Making Work "Work": Resources for Busy Professionals

Meeting Etiquette: Tips for the Professional

Getting work finished well and on time often depends on meetings that effectively support the work effort. We have guidelines for creating agendas and encouraging trust and participation in meetings, but we sometimes neglect basic meeting etiquette. The fact is, showing consideration for other meeting participants — and for the task at hand — is the grease that spins the wheels of a productive meeting.

The following meeting tips will help you use your meeting time more effectively:

• Prepare ahead of time.
• Arrive on time or early.
• Keep cell phones on vibrate. No text messages.
• Avoid side conversations, loud laughing and other distracting noises. This also applies to conference calls.
• Stay on task. Avoid long stories and unrelated conversations.
• Pay attention. Avoid doing other work and checking emails on your laptop.