To conduct an effective business meeting, one should send out an agenda in advance, call the meeting to order, and assign tasks. The meeting should have guidelines to keep it on schedule and on topic. A secretary should take minutes, and the meeting length should be 30 minutes or less. Participants should be encouraged to provide feedback within a 2 minute limit. The agenda focuses on discussion, and other items are reserved for later. Insults and interruptions are prohibited. Time is left at the end for questions and to plan the next meeting before closing.