Six Rules for Effective, Fun Meetings

Humor at work: this episode features a great team building video contest for a free humor workshop and six rules for holding more effective and fun meetings. www.humoratwork.com for more ideas and free articles on creating great places to work!
Partial Video Transcript
I've got six very basic meeting rules of the road to help you run more effective meetings this year. The first one is, always ask yourself, what is the point? What is the point of all these meetings?
Clearly define the purpose. Maybe you'll realize you don't even need to have a meeting. You can go on a meeting diet. When you do have to have a meeting, have a very clear purpose. Is it a strategic planning meeting, a creative brainstorming meeting, an information sharing meeting. Just have one purpose per meeting because the purpose will determine who is invited, how long the meeting is, maybe even where the meeting is held and it'll definitely influence how you structure and run the meeting.
Number two, don't have a hidden agenda. I go to so many meetings where there isn't a proper agenda still. Do a proper agenda, get it out in time and make the agenda compelling enough that people know why they should be at this meeting.
Number three, watch the time. Biggest complaint I hear is that meetings don't start on time, they don't end on time. Commit to doing that. Be ruthless. Start every meeting on time. End on time.
Number four, be in the here and now, be fully present, which means I think we need to get rid of any distractions, mental distractions, physical distractions like those annoying cellphones and Blackberries.
I'm doing a poll right now at HumoratWork.com, so put in your two cents. Go over to HumoratWork.com and let me know if you think that Blackberries should be banned from meetings. I think they should be if we're gonna be respectful of each other and if we're gonna be fully present.
Number five, take proper minutes. Answer the three Ws. Who is going to do what and when, and be really clear about that.
Number six, of course it goes without saying. Have fun at your meetings. Make sure your meetings are fun.

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1) Always ask what is the point of the meeting - Clearly define the purpose
2) Do not have a hidden agenda - Clearly state the agenda of the meeting
3) Watch the time - Keep to the scheduled time frame
4) Be present - Remove physical and mental distractions that take away from the meeting
5) take proper minutes - Confirm Who is doing What and When
6) Have fun - Not boring