--- title: "Use Meeting Time Wisely: Follow These Methods" id: "18028" type: "post" slug: "use-meeting-time-wisely-follow-these-methods" published_at: "2013-06-20T16:57:46+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T20:29:23+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/06/20/use-meeting-time-wisely-follow-these-methods/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/06/20/use-meeting-time-wisely-follow-these-methods.md" excerpt: "We’re all working against the clock. That’s why it’s important to use meeting time wisely. Also: How to give attendees an awesome event experience." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Leadership" - "Meetings" - "productivity" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Use Meeting Time Wisely: Follow These Methods Have you ever been in a meeting that felt like a real time-waster? Business leaders share a few unconventional techniques for conducting more effective staff meetings. > Pursuing the awesome experience doesn’t require lots of money, props, or even other people. It mainly requires a decision on your part to make it happen and then a commitment to execute. That, and more, in today’s Lunchtime Links: **Meetings that matter:** When former Apple CEO Steve Jobs held meetings, he would not hesitate to ask staff members who were not adding value to the conversation to leave. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos places an empty chair in the room to remind his staff of the omnipresence of clients. These and more CEO meeting techniques, including what Virgin’s Richard Branson and Google’s Larry Page do, are the subject of [a story published by the online news site Quartz (opens in a new tab)](http://qz.com/94701/top-business-leaders-meeting-tips/#94701/top-business-leaders-meeting-tips/) . What techniques do you use to make your meetings more effective? **The main event:** What makes an event experience awesome? *Inc.com* columnist Kevin Daum says the best events are memorable, meaningful, and positive. Daum [offers three steps to take your next association event from good to great (opens in a new tab)](http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/make-a-mediocre-experience-awesome-3-steps.html) : “The awesome experience requires the complete convergence of *need, entertainment,*and*the unexpected*, nothing less,” he writes for *Inc*. “Pursuing the awesome experience doesn’t require lots of money, props, or even other people. It mainly requires a decision on your part to make it happen and then a commitment to execute.” **How not to network:** Business writer and stand-up comic Caroline Ceniza-Levine has assembled a list of [the worst mistakes people make while networking (opens in a new tab)](http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2013/06/14/3-networking-habits-to-drop-and-what-to-do-instead/) . Her first suggestion: Don’t go looking for the “right” people. Start off the session by talking with a few people you already know. “Focus on tapping into the network you already have, rather than chasing after more and more new people,” she writes for *Forbes*. Tip number two: Listen. “You won’t know how to be generous in your follow-up if you’re not listening for what people really care about and need,” she writes. “As a bonus, people so rarely listen that you will distinguish yourself if you listen well.” What are you reading today? Let us know in the comments. (Digital Vision/Thinkstock) [Anita Ferrer](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Anita Ferrer is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Tags: [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#productivity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/productivity/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F06%2F20%2Fuse-meeting-time-wisely-follow-these-methods%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !