“It’s a universal feeling nowadays, everybody just hates meetings”. Is this really true? I think everybody hates losing time without getting anything in return, which is exactly what we do when we set up useless or badly prepared meetings.
As I spend most of my career interacting with other people, here are a few tips based on what I learned in more than a decade of sitting in conference rooms.
Are you the organizer?
1. Ask yourself: Is this meeting really necessary, or could I just send out an email to get the same outcome? It might seem easier to talk to people than to write to them, and it is definitely “funnier” to spend the first 10 minutes asking each other “Can you hear me? / Why can’t I see you?” than writing a boring email, but a meeting is a disruption in some else’s work flow, while an email can be read whenever the recipient makes time for it. Be considerate when choosing to disrupt someone’s calendar by setting up a meeting.
2. Agenda: there should be a law interdicting the meetings without agenda. Even if it is just a catch–up, write it so. It is not only business courtesy but also incredibly efficient to send a bullet-points list of agenda items. Is prep work required from the attendees? Then specify what is expected, from whom and by when.
3. Invitees: send the invite only to those people who should be actively contributing to the meeting outcome.
If you want your colleague Elly to just be informed that the meeting is taking place, then add her as an “Optional” and specify in the message that this is only for her info and that a recording will be made available after the meeting.
4. Time slots: not every open slot in someone’s calendar should be considered perfect for a meeting. For instance, it is bad practice to set up a back-to-back meeting in someone’s calendar, simply because that person may not get the chance to even go to the restroom. Leave at least 10 min between the meetings and you will see greater commitment.
Also, you might want to think if your colleague is a morning “lark” or or a night “owl”, before setting up that 8 a.m. strategy meeting. Keep in mind the time-zone difference and be respectful of people’s personal time, no matter where they might live.
5. Set up time slots in your own calendar for prep work and post-meeting work: being the organizer means many times that you need to do some prep work up front. Plan that slot in your calendar, do not assume you will find time for it. You might also need to plan a slot for those 10 min you need before the meeting to set up the conference room (I know, technicalities…).
Writing the meeting notes with the decisions and action items and doing the follow up work should also reflect in your calendar as a blocked slot, so that you feel you are in control of whatever comes out of the meeting.
Have you received an invite?
1. Declining is also an option: If you strongly believe that your input is not absolutely necessary for that meeting and that you can be informed via email of the outcome of the meeting, there is always the option to decline it, while specifying the reason. The same applies for meetings without agenda, meetings overlapping other already existing meetings in your calendar.
2. Ask yourself: Is my input absolutely required in this meeting? Is it necessary to debate over a certain topic?
Remember that you are the one deciding about your own time. Every meeting in your calendar got there with your approval.
3. Is prep work required from your side? Then make sure you block that slot of work in your calendar.
The most important thing I learned about time management is that, at the end of the day, the famous taking control over your calendar actually means take responsibility for your decisions and actions.
If you would like to explore this space together with me, let me know.