Know Why the Meeting Was Called

People call business meetings for seven reasons, so plan accordingly:

1. To get you to decide something. (Probably useful to you.)
2. To hone their own ideas. (Maybe useful to you.)
3. To convey information. (Probably not useful; ask for a document instead)
4. To test out a presentation. (Probably not useful unless it’s your boss.)
5. To accomplish group writing. (Never useful to anybody.)
6. To prove their own importance. (Never useful to anybody.)
7. To fulfill a process step. (Never useful to anybody.)

— Geoffrey James