Question: I know how people feel about them, but occasional meetings are needed for our team. What is 1 simple thing I can do to make sure they are useful?

Meetings can be productive if your team is vigilant and disciplined. To start, all meetings should have an agenda as well as an organizer. If you give someone the responsibility of setting the meeting topic, conducting the meeting, and then following up with action items, there is a good chance the meeting will actually be productive and drive your business forward.