“On a typical day in Australia there are around two million meetings when two or more people get together to exchange common information. With no agenda or time frame and the meeting losing direction these meetings are a major threat to the bottomline of business and national economy.“ Ron Smith

Media Release

Auditors Reports should Nail Costs of Meetings

Australia ’s accountancy and auditing standards should be upgraded to nail the cost of meetings in government, local government and business in the interest of accountability and creating a better bottomline for the national economy.

Government and companies should also make the introduction of best practice and efficient meeting practices part of the organisational culture and performance bonuses of senior executives. These are just two of the issues raised by the author of a new eBook released today.

Ron Smith the author of Death by Meetings says on a typical day in Australia around two million meetings take place; many of them with no agenda, time frame or outcome.

The cost of this inefficient activity is hidden by departments of non decision makers and meetings have become the hiding place for many people not wanting to get on with the job or resolve the issues, according to Mr Smith.

When asked for a resolution many people are put off with the excuse 'we are having a meeting about that next month and the issues will become clearer'.

Putting a meeting cost audit on the bottomline would be a major advantage for government and business as it would provide an accurate management tool on performance and assist people meeting to focus on the need for an outcome.

In Death by Meetings Ron Smith outlines the top methods of wasting time which include:

1. Arriving and finding the meeting room is not available
2. Spending fifteen minutes getting coffee and chatting about non issues
3. No agenda
4. No clear focus on outcome or action report.
5. Lack of decision making information.

With an innovative twist Ron Smith has turned the frustration of meetings and a sharp wit into a fundraising tool for charities and community groups who will be able to sell the eBook over the web and gain funds for good causes without any outlay.

Mr Smith says Death by Meetings has been designed as an electronic management tool for government agencies, local government, business, associations and anyone else involved in meetings.

Death by Meetings comes with its own automatic email series that can help you save your business or a friend from Death by Meetings.

On the serious side Smith says unproductive meetings are a major threat to the Australian economy tying up vast resources for little outcome. Death by Meetings is fun eBook with a serious message and an opportunity to get people focused on being productive.

Death by Meetings blows the cover on the meeting groupies who hide in organisations.

• the WHAT IF WANKER attendee - always raises a hundred potential problems to making a decision

• the IT DOES NOT FOLLOW POLICY it will need a Board decision - in other words no decision will ever be made

• the THINK WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING with everyone - the meeting groupie of consultation and no decisions
  
  
• the LEGAL WORRIER - waits to the end then says there are legal implications - we need see the lawyers (the most expensive attendee)

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith
0417 329 201
+613 9818 5700
ronsmith@bigpond.net.au 

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