This quote makes you wonder if anyone at headquaters is reading their own magazines!
From the Awake! July 22, 2003, page 28 "Watching the World":
Meeting the Challenge of Meetings
Many companies are seeing a need to keep business meetings short and even to do away with unnecessary meetings, reports The New York Times. So to curb waste of time at meetings, some executives have resorted to the use of such desperate measures as stopwatches, whistles, and uncomfortable chairs, as well as having attendees stand rather than sit. Apparently, the executives are not alone in their view. In a survey of over 600 workers, "meetings that last too long" topped the list of time wasters. Patti Hathaway, author of a book that gives advice on handling situations at work, recommends that executives first look at the agenda to decide whether a meeting is really necessary. If the purpose of a proposed meeting is simply to disseminate information, then consider whether the information can be sent by e-mail.