Do you hate meetings? I know I do. I avoid them like the plague since most meetings are unfocused and produce few results. The reason so many meetings are so bad is that most people who call meetings don't do the work that is required to make their meetings effective. Here are some simple ideas that make your meetings more productive:

1. Clearly define the purpose of the meeting.
2. Prepare a written agenda that supports that purpose.
3. Use a facilitator to keep the meeting on track.
4. Develop an action plan.
5. Conduct a meeting review.
6. Prepare a meeting memorandum.

Each of these steps has a very distinct purpose. Together they will keep your meeting focused and help you achieve the results you want.

Over the past few years, I've heard Time Magazine reporter Amanda Ripley speak at several conferences but hadn't got around to reading her book The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes and Why until recently. Frankly, I it was low on my list because I expected a book of anecdotes backed up by a bit of pop psychology. Big mistake! This is undoubtedly one of the best books I have read on how people react in times of crisis. Ms. Ripley did her homework, interviewing well-known experts in our field like Dennis Mileti, Thomas Drabek, and Lee Clarke. While not an academic work, it's firmly grounded in both published research literature and Ms. Ripley's own extensive interviews. Definitely worth considering as an addition to your professional library.

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