Jon: How was the meeting? Bob: Well… the donuts made the hour-long meeting worth it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother to go. Do you go to meetings for the donuts or for the conversation? Most companies invariably have one (or more) morning meetings, and we often find them annoying and disruptive to our daily routine or tasks at hand.

Understanding best practices and which to use when can go a long way to making sure your meetings are highly efficient and productive.

Everyone wants to achieve something either in the next 10 years or in the next 6 months. You may be looking to check off something in a matter of weeks or strive to accomplish a decade-long plan. Whether personal or professional, short-term and long-term goals provide direction and purpose to our actions. Similarly, corporations and nonprofits rely on these goals to steer their efforts and define their success.

Taking good meeting notes is an important project management skill to have. By providing your stakeholders with good meeting notes, you’re offering clarity into important conversations and key decisions being made, even if they’re unable to make the meeting. In this article, we discuss different note-taking techniques so you can create effective meeting notes. Meetings are an important part of projects—they are where decisions get made and team members connect with each other.

How to facilitate meetings that are worth everyone’s time and help you accomplish your goals.

Meetings are an integral part of any business. No matter what position you’re in, you will inevitably have to attend meetings and even make notes. As such, if you’re someone who’s designated to maintain minutes of meetings, then you need a meeting notes template to make your job easier. Starting from scratch every time is inefficient and a waste of time. Using a template allows you to keep things consistent and ensure you cover all important points while saving time and effort.

How to de-clutter your calendar and regain control of your workday.

We’ve all heard of nepotism, aka the act of favoring family members in the workplace. But what about cronyism? It’s the ‘insidious’ cousin that thrives within the organization itself. Cryonism is not about blood ties, but about the web of personal connections that trumps qualifications and merits. In this article, we will peel back the layers of cronyism, from its damaging effects to ways to prevent it, and some cronyism examples for better understanding.

Every business understands the importance of staying on track in any endeavor — may it be creating a new IT system or launching a new product. To ensure that such projects deliver the intended results, having a steering committee is a good solution. Usually comprised of key stakeholders and experts, this committee acts as a guiding hand in project management and risk mitigation.

Businesses thrive and succeed because they know how to utilize collaboration. There are situations where a project or a task requires a specialized skill or expertise beyond the in-house team. This is where independent contractors come in very helpful. To ensure a smooth and fruitful working relationship with this third-party provider, a well-drafted contractor agreement is crucial. This guide dives into the essential aspects of contractor agreements, exploring their benefits and components.