Effective Meetings

Let’s start this off with a very interesting question. Is there anyone in the world that actually enjoys going to any types of meetings?

My guess is no. Which leads me to believe that meetings, for the most part, are stupid. There are some meetings that are necessary, and every once in a while productive things happen in effective meetings. But most of the time meetings are far too long and filled with people that don’t need to be there.

So what is the solution to the problem of meetings? Don’t be stupid.

Here are some guidelines:

  • Any meeting that is longer than 30 minutes is stupid. If it takes longer than 30 minutes someone is talking way too much.
  • Shooting the breeze is not what happens in effective meetings. If you want to shoot the breeze the water cooler is the ideal meeting place.
  • If you don’t absolutely need someone’s input in a meeting, don’t invite them. Why is it necessary to invite 10 people to a meeting when only 2 or 3 are even going to be contributing?
  • If the issue or topic for your meeting can be resolved through e-mail, DON’T HAVE A MEETING. The only thing that is more stupid than long meetings are meetings where a person asks a question, that question gets answered, and the meeting is over.

It’s time to get over the idea that the more meetings you go to the more work you are doing. Meetings waste time, lower productivity, and have a very low rate of actually accomplishing anything.

So what can you do?

  • If you feel the need to schedule a meeting, make sure it is not a stupid meeting (see above if you are unsure what a stupid meeting is).
  • If you are in a meeting and you can tell that it is going to be stupid, do your best to drop hints that the meeting needs to end soon.
  • Decline invitations to meetings as often as possible unless you absolutely need to be there.
  • If you are in a position of authority, implement the DBS Method for Effective Meetings IMMEDIATELY.

Together we can rid the world of stupid meetings with less effort than it will take to keep your eyes open in that meeting that you have to go to this afternoon.