Q. I know this may be a strange subject, but I am certain I am not alone. I am so frustrated by the number of meetings my company is having. I seriously think we meet to plan more meetings! It is making it impossible to keep up with my other tasks, so I’m having to stay late and come in early to keep up. Any suggestions on how I broach this topic with our leaders?

A. You are correct, you are not alone. I hear complaints all the time about this very topic. The trick is being thoughtful on how to discuss this topic. I would suggest you first begin with a bit of planning. Things to consider include:

* Of the existing meetings, which are scheduled at the same day/time and what is the purpose of the meeting
* Of the meetings that are not regularly scheduled, what is the common theme for these reoccurring meetings
* Analyze and actually tracked the meeting purpose for a few weeks
* Suggest a new proposed schedule – introducing findings on purpose, participants etc. with a proposed, more concise schedule to accomplish the same tasks in a more focused, concentrated allowance of time.

Be prepared for challenge on this. But don’t give up. Be proactive by preparing the agenda, be a time keeper and build champions outside of the meeting to assist with building a focused, concise meeting.

I also highly recommend Traction/EOS tools. If you haven’t read the book Traction, do so. The EOS Meeting guidelines have helped many organizations to identify issues quickly, be direct on solving those issues and set the plan for the week. While it is a journey, every step forward needs a champion. What a great way to show your leadership.