Fabulous post. I get tired of folks complaining about 'meetings' when they've never made the effort to hold a good/efficient one. One additional point I would

Fabulous post. I get tired of folks complaining about 'meetings' when they've never made the effort to hold a good/efficient one. One additional point I would add is that there really should be someone in the role of Chair (e.g if there are more then 3/4 people taking part). The Chair's only job is to make sure things stick to time and the important points get covered. It doesn't have to be the 'boss', even though people expect it to be. I used to chair lots of meetings and while my style used to come across as a bit militant, after a few sessions people could be assured of the following. (1) Timing was followed (i.e start and end on time). (2) If someone was specifically asked to be there, it was because their input was needed. (3) There was always an agenda and we'd stick to it. Although I felt like a bully at first, people did seem to appreciate this style after a while. Folks would arrive (on time), discuss/decide stuff quickly and then get on with their lives. Meetings are just something else you have to learn about if you want to do them well.