The Third Drawer

Abstract

The chairman finally arrived and sat down after flashing smiles at members of the medical staff in attendance. It was obvious he subscribed to the notion that leaders should never apologize for being late to a meeting with subordinates. My first meeting as an attending physician at an academic medical department was about to start. Agenda items had been distributed in a one-page written memo the day before (email was not widely available yet). The list was long, but I remember being impressed by how fast we sailed through it. Only later did I discover the secret of efficient meetings, that is, the 90/10 rule, which states that 90% of agenda items—especially thorny issues—are already discussed and decided prior to the meeting, and the remaining 10% revolves around polishing these decisions and getting a seal of approval.