A Chinese saying describes managers as being buried under a mountain of documents and awash in an ocean of meetings. And for many bosses, this is true.

Meetings are a means for managers to fulfill their duties and are a key factor in a company's organization.

Although meetings are an important part of work, many managers regard them as solutions to all problems, calling staff together whenever something happens. This consumes energy and time for both managers and employees and can be ineffective.

There are many reasons to call for meetings, including information sharing and supervision of employees, finding solutions, developing new ideas, encouraging the team, or building leadership. But many people find the results of meetings unsatisfactory.

In many organizations, people either debate for hours to reach a consensus or identify unrealistic solutions. Often half the time spent in meetings is wasted.

Poor preparation, inadequate agendas and ignorance of discussion topics see many companies lose 30 working days a year.

But the main causes for low efficiency in meetings are: lack of focus; little preparation in advance; participants who are not time-conscious; repetitive speeches; failure to reach results; and lack of reporting skills.

To achieve high efficiency, meetings should only be considered when: an issue cannot be resolved with routine procedures; the team's wisdom is required; immediate decisions are needed; significant changes are being made or new measures adopted; or if inspiration or training is needed.

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