Cut your meetings in half

Leaders are always looking to create more of the one thing they never have – time. But it’s always a challenge and any little edge you can get is well worth considering.

Over at Inc.com, there’s a lovely slideshow on 10 surprising productivity tips from famous leaders, including Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington, Google’s Larry Page and some bloke called Richard Branson.

But the tip I liked most came from Gary E. McCullough, a former captain in the US Army and now the CEO of Career Education Corp.

In a 2009 interview with The New York Times, McCullough said his trick is to ask people how much time they need – and then cut it in half.

“If they say an hour, we cut it in half. If they say 30 minutes, we cut it to 15, because it forces people to be clearer and more concise. By doing that, I’m able to cram a number of things into the day and move people in and out more effectively and more efficiently.”

Great tip. Eliminate small talk, get right to the point. Concise, clear, efficient.

Get it done – today.