Are Meetings on Meetings Driving You Mad?

Here are some meeting complaints by percentage:

No wonder they drive you mad.  Set some rules for having meetings.  Some I have seen:

• If you come late the door is locked

• The meeting must have an agenda

• No cell-phones

• Have a talking stick.  No stick, no talking

• Get permission to cut off those who want to just jabber

• If you are unprepared you are reported to upper management

Meetings cost lots of money.  They should not take place because they always do, to get status updates in person (software should handle this), or if the agenda is going out 5 minutes before the meeting.

The point is to not to discourage meetings, it is to discourage wasting time and limiting your team’s productivity.  Productive meetings focus on the work that needs to be done, leveraging the brains and personalities of teammates, and working towards your long-term outcomes.

If a meeting achieves those things, meet away. If it doesn't, then take advantage of easier, less time-consuming ways to share information. If people know you value their time, they'll gladly give it to you when you really need it.