“Give me an agenda or else I’m not going to sit there, because if I don’t know why we’re in the meeting, then there’s no reason for a meeting.”

Annette Catino, chief executive of the QualCare Alliance Network (via Adam Bryant)

The action: Ask to see an agenda, or in other ways ask the host to explain what they hope your contribution will be, before agreeing to a meeting.

The long-form: I’ve often found that people are really asking for a specific piece of information, which could just as easily be sent as an email. Sort this out before the meeting and you have just saved yourself and everyone else a lot of time.

Scrutinize your own use of time, others’ use of your time, and your use of others’ time. You both can and should say no if your contribution will not be proportional to the time you spend.