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Creed Recommends


Strategies for separating meetings and time-wasters.

"Every minute you avoid spending in a meeting is a minute you can get real work done instead."
- Jason Fried

Many companies struggled with productivity even before the current economic climate made efficiency a matter of survival. If you are looking to capture every last drop of productive force your team can muster, Creed Interactive would like to recommend Getting Real by Jason Fried founder of the phenomenally successful web company 37Signals. Not only is it a worthy read when your time is valuable, it's available for free online . In it, Jason explains how companies can get more work done with fewer people and he gets right to the point. For instance, productive meetings are a business necessity but Jason does not hesitate to explain how they can become too frequent and unproductive. "They often contain at least one moron that inevitably gets his turn to waste everyone's time with nonsense."

Jason cuts right to the chase speculating that you know someone like that. The "Let's-Discuss-Last-Night's American-Idol" gal. The "Check-Out-This-New-iPhone-App" guy. The "My-Little-Girl-Said-The-Funniest-Thing-Last-Night" dad. Anyone out there work with someone who fits that description? (OK, Put your hands down.) In today’s economy, with layoffs occurring left and right, most companies are finding they need to be more productive using less people. If you haven't been able to get rid of all the time-wasters, at least try to minimize their toxic behavior by getting rid of the unnecessary or unstructured meetings that provide their venue. Try techniques like setting a 30-minute timer and ending the meeting when the bell rings. Period. In the middle of a sentence, even, or cutting down on the invitation list.

If you need some motivating data to help you change your meeting culture visit payscale.com. Enter your geographic location and who you've invited to the meeting. You'll see how quickly it adds up having all those titles sitting around the table. Especially those high-priced titles on the coasts.