Zoom fatigued? All out of energy for long-winded meetings? A new book called Time Wise, written by Amantha Imber (Penguin Random House) could be just what you need to speed things up and inject new energy that drives efficiencies. According to Rahul Vohra – founder and CEO of the email software company Superhuman – you can take control of every meeting (and get out of them much faster) by putting a few simple rules in place: Write down topics beforehand Everything to be discussed at your next meeting must be written down beforehand and circulated ahead of time, giving all attendees the chance to read, digest the information and formulate an opinion. This means fast talkers don’t have a chance to ‘pull the wool’ and everyone can be informed and prepared to make a contribution… which is where rule 2 comes into play. Only comment if you’ve read the documents Anyone who wants to contribute to a discussion point must have invested time in reading the document and adding their comments before the meeting. This Vohra says, will save time and demonstrate respect for the initiator. It will also allow time for other attendees to consider the discussion. To maximise efficiencies, the document should be shared in live format. It will also save time…which brings us to rule 3. Allow five minutes per topic at the most If consensus cannot be reached in five minutes, stop the conversation, and delegate a decision-maker. That person will be determined according to what’s at stake. If it’s a high-stakes decision, the CEO is the obvious choice. A lower-stakes decision can be handed on to a team member, which has the added benefit of empowering individuals. Information needs to be gathered and decisions made and reported back to at the next meeting. Sounds simple enough, so why not give it a try. Another way to claw back time in your day – for you and your team – is to outsource boring administrative duties. At the Ayers Group our online payroll solution can be customised and branded to meet your needs, saving your admin team hours, and protecting your business from the risk of error. From managing contracts, timesheets, and expenses through to arranging visas and paying salaries, the Ayers Group can take the burden of contractor management off your team’s shoulders, enabling them to focus on revenue generating operations. Contact an expert at the Ayers Group today.