[Vigilanteman]

I'll agree than planning meetings can be quite useful . . . IF they stay on topic. That is most likely to happen if the attendance is five people or less.

I worked for a small company in Japan which had a room with a high round table and enough space for about five people to stand around.

The rules were no smoking, no food and no drink. We were generally in and out of there in 15 minutes or less.

[xzins]

I had a battalion commander in Korea who would call his staff meetings outside standing. They were more than 5 people — about a dozen — but they were lickety-split.

Especially in winter.

I recall some 5 minutes meetings outside in the winter. It was very easy to admit that what you’d say in a warm room wasn’t really all that necessary to say.