Have everyone stand for the rest of the meeting if it doesn’t end on time.
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Record the length of your meetings, as Google does, and try to beat your fastest time without sacrificing quality to brevity. Or set a target time to finish, and after it's reached, have everyone stand for the remaining time. That might speed the discussions. Humor At Work Newsletter
Take responsibility, ban mediocrity
The four horsemen of mediocrity, according to entrepreneur Seth Godin, are deniability ("They decided"), helplessness ("My boss won't let me"), contempt ("They don't pay me enough to put up with these customers"), and fear ("It's not worth the risk"). Seth's Blog
Soften the message for the troops
Karin Hurt warns executives to beware of "trickle down intimidation" – meeting subordinates and, without mincing words, or offering inspiration, demanding immediate action given competitive pressures. Intimidation amplifies as the message rolls downhill. Let's Grow Leaders blog
If you're sick, stay home
Don't go to work with a cold or flu, hoping to be sent home. Blogger Alison Green says some people make an appearance hoping their boss will take pity. But if you're sick enough to hope for that result, you're sick enough to stay home and not infect others. USNews.com
Set your phone to 'Do not disturb'
Do Not Disturb is a popular iPhone app that allows you to set regular times when it won't ring, filtered by categories of callers. Windows Phone 8 users can now get the similar Quiet Hours app, albeit with fewer features. It's free but the daily scheduler costs 99 cents (U.S.) AddictiveTips.com
Harvey Schachter is a Battersea, Ont.-based writer specializing in management issues. He writes Monday Morning Manager and management book reviews for the print edition of Report on Business and an online work-life column Balance. E-mail Harvey Schachter
Harvey Schachter