How many meetings do you turn up to totally unprepared? Here are ten things to do just twenty minutes before a meeting to give you a fighting chance!
- Check the location: meeting rooms can be dotted all over your workplace, so check where it is in case you need to set off a couple of minutes beforehand
- Check the agenda: familiarize yourself with the agenda for this meeting
- Check the attendees: Microsoft Outlook gives you the data to see who has accepted, who hasn’t accepted, and who has declined
- Check the ‘inputs’: normally attached documents. Either print them out if you really must, or unhook your laptop and carry it with you
- Check previous actions: remind yourself about what actions you may have been given at the last meeting – although now probably isn’t the time to start them!
- Check your calendar following the meeting: look now at where you need to be after this meeting, and if needed, gather any inputs to that meeting too
- Check your email: do this now rather than during the meeting on your Blackberry!
- Check that the meeting is still on!: meetings can be cancelled at the last minute – check that it is still on
- Visit the restrooms: go now to give you plenty of time
- Visit the coffee-shop: if you need a fix, get your beverage in good time
