7 ways to get more meetings off your calendar

Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and others have been heavily criticized in the media for their responses -- or lack thereof -- to student groups' fervent support for Hamas' attack on Israel. "It's astonishing ... [and] fascinating to watch an institution like Harvard that has all the resources in the world have the biggest blunder," says crisis specialist Sandy Lish of The Castle Group, adding that a brief, clear response that didn't aim to please everyone would have been more likely in the presence of strong, previously created crisis communications playbook.

Put it into practice: Newsweek talked with some communications experts who offered eight phrases to avoid when speaking for a company during a crisis. "No comment," "unforeseen circumstances," "business as usual" and "We did our best" are among them.

Being a CEO can be isolating, because "people are a little bit more hesitant to tell you what's happening," says Sonia Millsom, CEO of healthcare firm Oxeon, who recommends encouraging those around you to be open and share what they've learned. "It's the balance of building trust with your team, but then also having to make difficult decisions for the betterment of the business," Millsom says.

Leonardo da Vinci used an experimental technique in painting the "Mona Lisa" that utilized the chemical compound plumbonacrite long before artists of the 17th century began doing so, according to a study in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Researchers analyzed a microsample of the "Mona Lisa" to study the molecular composition of the painting, finding that da Vinci likely created plumbonacrite with lead oxide powder and linseed oil to help the paint dry.

Vance Merolla, senior vice president of Global Sustainability, outlines how the Colgate-Palmolive tackles sustainability across its wide variety of household brands and products. Merolla shares details about advancements in recyclable toothpaste tubes, what the company learned from getting certain aspects of its Sustainability and Social Impact Strategy approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative and how Colgate-Palmolive went about signing a virtual power purchase agreement to help provide energy for its operations.

One of the things I've always enjoyed about working at SmartBrief is that meetings are short, they have a clear point, and managers are always respectful of your time. Perhaps it's because we all work on deadline, but it would be the same even if that weren't the case.

We all get more time to do the duties we're expected to fulfill, and we don't feel overwhelmed by numerous gatherings (that could have been an email).

How do you handle your meeting schedule? Are you overwhelmed and stuck in meetings most days? Scott Eblin's advice may be just your ticket to reduce meeting hours.

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