Leading Effective Meetings

THE VALUE OF MEETINGS

To ensure meetings are necessary, efficient, and productive, while protecting time for essential work.

1 Determine If a Meeting Is Needed

Before scheduling:

Is a decision or discussion required?

Can this be handled by email, text, or a quick call?

Does the meeting have a clear action (e.g., decide, finalize, plan)?

If no clear purpose exists, do not schedule the meeting

2 Limit Attendance

nvite only essential participants

Ideal group size: 5–8 people

Avoid including individuals who are not directly involved

Smaller groups improve focus, engagement, and decision-making

3 Set Appropriate Duration

Schedule meetings for 30–45 minutes

Allow time between meetings for transition and follow-up

Shorter meetings increase efficiency and reduce delays

4 Decline When Appropriate

Before accepting a meeting:

Is your role essential to the outcome?

Will your input impact the decision?

Attending unnecessary meetings reduces productivity

5 Protect Time for Focused Work

Schedule uninterrupted work blocks

Create calendar “no-fly zones”

Prioritize critical tasks before meetings

Not all meetings are necessary

Fewer, shorter, and more focused meetings are more effective

Calendar management is a critical leadership responsibilit

REFERENCES

Madrone, K. (2018–2019). Making meetings matter: The surprising impact of terrible meetings, and how to run great ones. HumanePro. https://humanepro.org/magazine/articles/making-meetings-matter

Solomon, C. (n.d.). 5 tips to run better meetings [Video]. TED Talk

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT IN ANIMAL SHELTERS

Andrea Montaño Hernandez, MVZ

Leading Effective Meetings

THE VALUE OF MEETINGS

To ensure meetings are necessary, efficient, and productive, while protecting time for essential work.

1 Determine If a Meeting Is Needed

Before scheduling:

If no clear purpose exists, do not schedule the meeting

2 Limit Attendance

Smaller groups improve focus, engagement, and decision-making

3 Set Appropriate Duration

Shorter meetings increase efficiency and reduce delays

4 Decline When Appropriate

Before accepting a meeting:

Attending unnecessary meetings reduces productivity

5 Protect Time for Focused Work

Not all meetings are necessary

Fewer, shorter, and more focused meetings are more effective

Calendar management is a critical leadership responsibilit

REFERENCES

Leading Effective Meetings

THE VALUE OF MEETINGS

To ensure meetings are necessary, efficient, and productive, while protecting time for essential work.

1 Determine If a Meeting Is Needed

Before scheduling:

If no clear purpose exists, do not schedule the meeting

2 Limit Attendance

Smaller groups improve focus, engagement, and decision-making

3 Set Appropriate Duration

Shorter meetings increase efficiency and reduce delays

4 Decline When Appropriate

Before accepting a meeting:

Attending unnecessary meetings reduces productivity

5 Protect Time for Focused Work

Not all meetings are necessary Fewer, shorter, and more focused meetings are more effective Calendar management is a critical leadership responsibilit

REFERENCES

Not all meetings are necessary

Fewer, shorter, and more focused meetings are more effective

Calendar management is a critical leadership responsibilit