Produce an agenda and make sure everyone involved sees it before the meeting begins. If people do not know what the meeting's chairperson intends to discuss, time will be wasted as people digest new information and build up to a response.

Be punctual and say when you intend the meeting to finish. Send an email to people 30 minutes before the meeting is due to start to remind them to prepare. Open-ended meetings are an invitation to procrastination.

Be firm and stick to the point. It's easy to stray off the points you are there to discuss, especially if they are not immediately relevant to everyone in the room. If the conversation goes off at a tangent, reel it in immediately.

Stand up if you think the meeting should last for less than 20 minutes, as it should help encourage everyone to reach decisions faster. Organising seating and beverages for a short meeting can mean it takes 10 minutes alone for everyone to "settle".

Finish the meeting on time even if it starts a little late. It is inconsiderate to assume the participants' schedules revolve around your meeting, so wrap up the meeting when you promised.