I have already written about interruptions The worst interruptions are meetings. And here’s why:
- They are usually dedicated to abstract concepts, words, rather than real things.
- They generally assume the least possible speed of information exchange.
- Meetings are often organized like a TV schedule. You sit and wait for “your cartoon.”
- The meetings veer off the topic of discussion as easily as a “Zaporizhzhia” on bald tires in icy conditions.
- They require careful preparation, and most people don’t have time for that.
- They often have such an extensive agenda that no one really understands the purpose of the meeting.
- At meetings, there is usually one alternative thinker who, when it’s their turn, will waste everyone’s time with nonsense.
- Meetings are contagious and tend to be regular. One meeting leads to the next, which leads to another.
Unfortunately, meetings are often organized in a “large format.” You set aside your tasks for thirty minutes or an hour just because electronic organizers work that way. (You will never see a meeting scheduled with Outlook that lasts only 7 minutes.) It’s a shame. If resolving an issue takes just 7 minutes, you still have to use up the entire reserved time. There’s no need to stretch seven minutes into thirty.
If you think about it, you’ll see that the real costs of meetings are quite impressive. Let’s say you’re planning to organize a meeting that will last for one hour and will have 10 participants. In reality, this is a ten-hour meeting, not just an hour. You’re putting 10 hours of productive work at stake for a single hour of meeting. And it’s probably even 15 hours, since it takes time to switch between tasks; you have to stop what you were doing, do something required for the meeting, and then, after the meeting, get back to what you were working on.
Is it really worth sacrificing 10-15 hours for a single meeting? Sometimes, perhaps. However, there is a significant cost to consider. From a purely cost perspective, such meetings become a liability rather than an asset for the company. Think about the time you are actually losing and ask yourself if it’s worth it.
If you decide that you are absolutely sureshouldWhen meeting, try to make your meetings productive by following these simple rules:
- Set an alarm. When it goes off, the meeting is over.
- Invite as few people as possible.
- Always prepare a clear agenda.
- Start with a specific problem.
- Meet at the location where the problem exists, not in a conference room. Point out the real issues and suggest tangible changes.
- Conclude the meeting with a decision and appoint someone responsible for its implementation.