You've been there.

After the meeting ends, you ask yourself, "What the heck was that about anyway?" You can even see it as it happens. Eyes glaze over as people check out of a meeting that would otherwise have been interesting, because no one knows what we're talking about.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Save yourself pain. Become the unrecognised hero that gets a meeting back on track. Ask one simple question.

Why are we here?

Or, if that's too existentialist for you, "What's the purpose of this meeting?" Meetings get off track for many reasons. But the main one is a lack of purpose.

Purpose provides clarity.

And without purpose, everyone's just making noise. Responding to the last person. No longer heading to port, but drifting wherever the winds take you.

Stop drifting!

Remind yourself (and everyone else) why you're meeting. And if you don't know, ask. And if no one knows, exit.

Because a meeting without a purpose is just a chin-wag.

And a confusing one at that.