Shut Up and Listen!: Hard Business Truths that Will Help You Succeed

by Tilman Fertitta

Speaking of efficiency, that’s why I make it a policy to always have meetings that are as short as possible—ideally, fifteen minutes or less. Of course, we go over that time limit often, but trying to impose some sort of time restriction generally cuts back on the average time spent in meetings and keeps the time in the meeting productive. That, and we work to keep those short meetings consistent in how we review our business. That helps everyone prepare better to make the most of those few minutes. The reason I believe so strongly in short meetings goes beyond the fact that everybody hates long, drawn-out sessions. A short meeting also promotes bluntness and accountability. If you’re only asking people to focus for fifteen minutes or so, they bring their A game to those fifteen minutes. A lot gets done because it’s focused and on point. The goal is to make them all focus for fifteen minutes and know that you’re listening to them. Get to the point and get out. Keeping meetings short is also valuable to reinforce an organization-wide commitment to ongoing goals and priorities. For instance, since I’ve emphasized the value of hospitality, no matter the business, short meetings are an ideal way to reiterate that message. Use short meetings to remind everyone and to emphasize everything from the specials for that day to production and delivery priorities. Keep it short and on point, and the message is easy to convey and understand.