It seems the feeling that there are too many meetings comes up frequently in conversations these days.

Time is precious. No one wants to sit in meetings that don’t add value. On the other hand, well-run meetings have a positive impact in many areas. 

This column offers tips on how to make the most of your meetings. It is not inclusive; there are many good tools on this topic that are easy to locate. However, these are some of the most helpful practices I’ve discovered over the years.

The starting point with any project is to diagnose the situation. When it comes to meeting quality, a simple survey can help you get the lay of the land.

Ask each person to answer these questions:

In a typical week (you can extend it to a month if you like), how many meetings do you attend? 

How many hours a week are you at these meetings?

List each regular meeting you attend and give it a score of 1-10, with 1 being “not helpful at all” and 10 being “very helpful.” Add up the hours you are in meetings that you rated a 6 or below, then those that you rated a 7 or 8, then those that you gave 9s or 10s.

This exercise demonstrates just how much time people spend in helpful versus unhelpful meetings. 

It is common for people to say there are too many meetings. My experience is that when meetings are well run, these comments are reduced–and there is less need for meetings overall. 

Here are four ways to improve meetings and gain time:

1. Clarify the required meetings and the optional ones. People may feel they are expected to go to some meetings that are actually optional. 

2. Make sure an agenda is sent to invited attendees 24 hours ahead of time. People like to be prepared. This will make the meeting more effective. 

3. Rate each meeting at its conclusion with a score of 1-10. This reduces the number of people who afterward share that the meeting was not good (when they did not bring it up at the meeting). It reduces passive-aggressive behavior. 

I was leading a meeting, and to allow more conversation, I let it run longer than was scheduled. In the ratings, the lower scores were due to the meeting’s running overtime.

From then on, I have shared with attendees that I know how important it is to end on time. Please speak up in meetings; however, be conscious of the time. 

4. Reduce the time allotted for a meeting. I’m not sure when the rule was made that meetings need to be an hour. Shorten the meetings and see how they work. You can always add time back if you need it. 

Tips to make meetings better — from the best way to create agendas to assigning responsibilities to clarifying follow-up actions — can be found in a number of sources. My goal here is to provide very doable ones.

If you can do only two things to start, do these:

1. Make a rule to send out agendas at least 24 hours ahead of time or else cancel the meeting. This ensures the person running the meeting is on top of what the meeting is to accomplish, and it allows people to prepare. 

2. Rate the meeting.

These two actions alone will lead to better meetings, less time spent in meetings, and better outcomes. It is amazing sometimes how small changes can make a big difference. is a gift.

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Quint Studer is the author of 16 books on leadership in the workplace and the community. His book “Building a Vibrant Community” is a valuable resource for civic leaders, business owners, and all citizens who have a stake in building a community. He can be reached at Quint@QuintStuder.com.