Keep meetings to a minimum

This is the latest news and information for workers and managers from across the Web universe, brought to you by Monday Morning Manager writer Harvey Schachter. Follow us on Twitter @Globe_Careers or join our Linked In group.

Toronto-based productivity consultant Ann Gomez says we all have a sweet spot for meetings, a certain number of hours each day, given the other demands on our time. Go beyond that and you feel overworked, behind and frustrated. Figure out your meeting sweet spot and try to protect it. Clear Concept

Encourage skepticism, block cynicism

The consulting team at Nevada's Switch and Shift consultancy says we need skeptics, who don't accept facts or opinions without probing for more understanding and information. But we should keep away from cynics, who reject ideas and facts out of hand, without any further consideration. Switch and Shift

Cast the net wide on referrals

HR consultant China Gorman says research suggests 23 per cent of companies don't have a referral program letting employees suggest candidates to hire and 67 per cent limit such referrals to employees, not canvassing alumni, vendors and other partners. Referrals can be highly effective, so consider broadening the scope. ChinaGorman.com

Why extroverts tend to earn more

Extroverts tend to earn more than introverts, research by Truity Psychometrics found. That may result from greater managerial responsibility – on average, extroverts managed 4.5 other people and introverts 2.8. Susan Cain, who writes about introverts, says extroverts are routinely chosen for leadership even though introverts often deliver better results. Business Insider

Hide the mini-toolbar in Office 2013

Tech writer Fatima Wahab says that if you dislike the mini-toolbar that springs to life in Office 2013 when you select text, you can disable it by opening Options on the File menu. In the resulting window, pick General tab, and under User Interface Options uncheck "Show Mini-Toolbar on Selection." Addictive Tips

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