Author finds workers want to "Cancel the Meeting".NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 1995--American workers at all levels, not just managers, spend an average of 12% of their workday in meetings, says author and organization change expert Richard Moran Richard A. Moran (born 1950) is a San Francisco based venture capitalist, social scientist, best selling author and evangelist for organization effectiveness. He earned an A.B. at Rutgers College, (1972); M.S. at Indiana University (1975); and Ph.D. , and nearly a third of workers feel that half the time they devote to meetings is wasted. Author of the bestselling informal guides to business life, Never Confuse con·fuse v. con·fused, con·fus·ing, con·fus·es v.tr. 1. a. To cause to be unable to think with clarity or act with intelligence or understanding; throw off. b. a Memo with Reality and Beware Those Who Ask for Feedback, Moran Moran equitable councillor to King Feredach. [Irish Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 728] See : Justice has heard workers across the country lament the amount of time they spend in meetings. After using this recurring re·cur intr.v. re·curred, re·cur·ring, re·curs 1. To happen, come up, or show up again or repeatedly. 2. To return to one's attention or memory. 3. To return in thought or discourse. theme for the title of his latest collection--CANCEL THE MEETINGS, KEEP THE DOUGHNUTS--Moran decided to find out just how much time is being spent in meetings. Moran arranged with MarketFacts to conduct a nationwide survey on workplace meetings, and the results dramatically support the commonly accepted notion that there are too many of them. Notably, one third of the survey respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. felt that half the time they spend in meetings is wasted, and almost half (44%) believe that their productivity would increase if they could attend fewer meetings. "This should certainly send a signal to companies that they ought to rethink re·think tr. & intr.v. re·thought , re·think·ing, re·thinks To reconsider (something) or to involve oneself in reconsideration. re their meetings," says Moran, "but changes should be guided by the participants themselves." "If workers feel that fewer meetings would increase their productivity, try it and see what happens," continues Moran. "By the same token, if the participants feel that a certain meeting enhances their productivity, then that's a keeper." CONTACT: HarperBusiness Maureen O'Neill, 212/207-7603 |
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