No man, no woman is an island. We can't just operate independently all the time, we have to get together to talk out our ideas with other human beings. So meetings are inevitable. Everybody has to do meetings. I don't do a lot of them. But even I have to occasionally attend meetings.

There are things you can do to simplify this process and to minimize the blood sucking qualities and so many meetings, the productivity sucking qualities of so many meetings. For starters, ask yourself and ask the person who invited you what is the agenda? It may turn out that it has nothing to do with you. The last thing you want to do is show up to a meeting. It has nothing to do with your area of expertise, or your interest. So that's the first big tip is really find out.

What is the topic what is the agenda Are you sure you're even supposed to be there