Meetings are a necessary and important part of all organized activities. They are needed for:
·Planning
·Problem definition and solution
·Exchange of information, knowledge, experience and ideas
·Decision making and management
·Establishing and implementing decisions
·Negotiations
·Follow-up, revision and audits

We often hear that we hold too many meetings and that meetings stand in the way of other more productive activities in the workplace. “We don’t have time for all those meetings” is a common complaint. We do not support this criticism. It is not the occurrence of frequent meetings, which we need to take sound, carefully thought out decisions or to achieve consensus and support among those that are affected or need to implement the decisions taken. Rather, it is the occurrence of ineffective meetings, i.e. meetings that are poorly planned and executed that irritates. Instead, by properly organizing and running meetings, the time used for meetings and the time used to effectuate the results of meetings can be drastically reduced, both directly and indirectly. Time will be made available for complementary tasks that, in turn, will reduce the need for further meetings.

Mikael Stenhamn, Stoneport Company