We’ve all been in meetings that veer off topic or in which participants are unprepared. In order to prevent this from occurring and avoid wasting people’s time, it’s important to start your meetings with a clear agenda. A well-written meeting agenda helps participants come better prepared and stay on task. A meeting agenda is also helpful in allocating time, getting everyone on the same page, and identifying when a discussion of a particular topic is complete. When problems occur during a meeting, a meeting agenda can bring the conversation back on course and help your team address issues. A meeting agenda outlines all of the topics that your meeting will cover and allots time to each topic. The following are some helpful tips for designing an effective

If you use Microsoft Outlook^® to book meeting rooms, you’ve undoubtedly encountered the frustrating experience of double bookings. Not only can double bookings leave you without a meeting room when you need it, you could also end up with equipment, catering, and other extra services that you will no longer be able to use. Additionally, double bookings create a poor impression among clients or business partners who have come to meet with you at your facility. Productivity is lost as you shuffle to find an available meeting room at the last minute due to a double booking. Imagine settling into a meeting room because you’re about to initiate a huddle with your team and then someone else steps in, asking if you had also booked the meeting

In business meetings, you’re bound to come across a multitude of personality types. Before having a meeting, it’s important to consider who will be present and the strengths and weaknesses of each attendee’s personality. Treating all meeting participants in the exact same way can be counterproductive because each person is motivated by different things. It’s important not to make assumptions about team members and how they will respond to activities and presentations. The following are some of the “unique” personalities you’re likely to encounter and how to embrace each of them.   The Leader  The leader is the person who sets the tone and agenda of a meeting and makes sure that everyone contributes to the meeting. The leader is a

Have you ever found yourself sitting in a meeting, bored, wondering why you have to be there? Have you ever felt like a meeting you were in was long and directionless? Meetings take up a lot of time for employees, and particularly for managers. According to research, employees spend about 35% of their time in meetings and managers spend up to 50% of their time in meetings. What’s worse, many meetings are unproductive and leave you with little time to get actual work done. Despite this sad state of affairs, meetings aren’t going anywhere. In fact, each year, we spend an increasing amount of time in meetings. There are many different types of meetings, including problem-solving meetings, planning meetings, and staff meetings, to name a few. No

Could a robot eventually take your job? Will smart buildings change the way we work forever? These are just some of the questions surrounding the future of work. In the last decade, we’ve witnessed major changes in the way technology is used to help people complete tasks in the workplace. These advancements are affecting everyone, from white-collar knowledge workers to blue-collar factory workers. The following are some mega trends in work technology that will transform the way we work now and into the future.      1. Robots There is fear surrounding how robots might replace many jobs and income inequality will rise. While it’s true that the job market will likely see increased segregation between high-skill, high-paying jobs, and low-skill, low-paying jobs, the jobs