Strictly speaking, conferences and lectures are not meetings but the chance for people to obtain information and meet others in the same line of work. However, they can be as time wasting as meetings and you need to be aware of this. Before you accept an invitation to any conference or lecture, decide whether it will be of use to you and other people. If only one or two speakers will be of interest, ask for copies of their speeches to be sent to you. If you have been asked to give a lecture but the situation will neither enhance your reputation or be useful enough for you to be present, offer a written copy for conference notes. If the conference has some potential use and interest but you are pressed for time, consider sending a member of your staff. Alternatively only attend one day of the conference.

Make the most of any conference you do attend by listening carefully to the talks that will be of most use. Make sure that you get a copy of the notes for the talk and take your own notes. If you socialize afterwards, take people’s cards and write details about them on the back, together with any notes about their expertise and contact numbers. File these as soon as you return to your office.

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4. Subdue Your Phone – Taking Notes

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6. Performance Management – Information Review Meetings

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