You’re on your way to a meeting or you’re in the middle of a project that requires your focus, when someone tells you something im­­portant. “Got it!” you say, as you continue with what you're doing. Later, though, you realize you weren’t fully tuned in. Consider what sort of listener you are, and then heed these tips:

When the meeting participants are mostly VIPs, scheduling can be a hairy process, says executive assistant Trisha Heil. Currently, she offers attendees a basic date-filled chart, so they can narrow down the choices to a mutually convenient time and date. But what do other admins do?

Defer judgment ... The more ideas the better ... Bosses, don’t hijack the discussion. These are among the top rules of a productive brainstorming session. Before a team even begins the meeting, though, be sure to set up the room for maximum effectiveness:

When you're working with a virtual team scattered across locations, foster unity with these steps: 1. Make messages "location-neutral." 2. Share success. 3. Don't waste meeting time during rare face-to-face gatherings.

When you’re planning a day-long meeting, having the right food and beverages keeps attendees’ minds sharp. But those costs can add up. Here’s savvy advice on appeasing attendees’ palates while trimming your meal budget:

Starting or ending a meeting late ranks as the No. 1 complaint about company meetings, according to a survey by Accountemps. Top pet peeves about company meetings among senior man­agers: