Meetings.
They seem to be happening more and more.
Meetings for meetings.
Meetings to discuss meetings.
Meetings to plan if there is a meeting.
And what is amazing is that anyone can call one of these.
Anyone.
And given most companies place a limit on the amount an employee can spend without prior approval – I find it hilarious anyone can commandeer thousands of dollars/pounds of employee time on a whim.
What makes it even more laughable is often these meetings are no more than a simple question that could have been handled by just going up to a colleagues desk.
But it’s not entirely the fault of the person who calls meetings …
We now live in times where looking busy is a key requisite – more than even being productive – and nothing makes you look busy than calling and attending a meeting.
Of at least an hour, of which 47 minutes is made up of waiting for everyone to turn up, small talk and then going off on tangents at least 7 times.
What I find funny is companies continue to say they want to help employees with their work life balance …
They talk about reducing emails while pushing things like slack … that are far more demanding for immediacy of response.
They talk about wanting everyone to take their holidays … and then dictate when they can/can’t be taken.
Ans they talk about wanting to aid productivity then allow so many meetings to happen that you end up starting your real work towards the end of the day.
With that in mind, here are the 4 questions to ask when you are asked to attend a meeting that you are not sure should be a meeting. Or at least a meeting you’re not sure you should be attending.
1. What is this meeting trying to change?
2. Will the people who can make decisions be there?
3. Will they have all the information they need to make a decision there and then?
4. Why do you think I am one of these people?
Yes it’s a pain.
Yes, they will think you’re a pain.
But I guarantee you, it won’t be as painful as another day of sitting in a vast majority of inane meetings that are designed to make the organiser feel important – or able to share the blame of the situation they are in/caused – while also ensuring you end up having to work late.
Again.
You’re welcome.