Image Credit: Driving The Volvo by Thomas Anderson via CC by 2.0
When I was 16 years old, I was a terrible driver. Technically, I knew how to drive, I had passed all the tests and I intellectually knew all the rules. But I was still a terrible driver. If you rode with me as a passenger all those years ago, you would've been fearful.
Five days a week, I get to spend most of my working day sitting in meetings. I am the facilitator for some and I am a participant in others. In short, I view myself as a "connoisseur" of meetings.
Last time we talked about why Retrospectives are a simple way to upgrade your performance as a leader. They allow you an efficient way to gather feedback on yourself and your leadership style in a non-threatening way because you are getting feedback on a meeting or a process and not on yourself directly.
Do yourself and your co-workers a favor. Before you schedule your next meeting, spend a few minutes to write an agenda in the invitation for that meeting. Just because Outlook, Notes, and Google Calendar (or your preferred calendar app) will let you schedule a meeting without anything in the notes field, doesn't mean it is okay to do so.
It sounds deceptively simple, but by spending 3 - 5 minutes writing out an agenda you are doing several things that will make your meetings more productive.
