Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

I spent all day in meetings today; but they weren't like that! In fact today's meetings were pretty productive, but they aren't always that way.

Over at the nub, they had a link to a great article on meetings from Jared Sandberg of the Wall Street Journal. Anything that starts like this has to be worth a read:

Who says meetings are a colossal waste of time? Mai Wang uses them to catch up on thank-you notes from birthday and Christmas presents past. "I bring my calligraphy pen," says the 32-year-old consultant.

And then there's this:

Bernie DeKoven ran the Institute for Better Meetings for more than 15 years, but he folded it two years ago because it was hard to make money and he realized there was cultural resistance to improving meetings. He wanted them to be collaborative and fun, he says, but concedes, "I was naive."

Instead, Mr. DeKoven says, meetings are ceremonies to reinforce the hierarchy, to remind people who's boss, and to praise or chastise anyone who isn't. If people would just accept that that's their purpose, he adds, meetings could be shorter and cheaper. "But people cloud the issue by trying to get something done."

The need to know how to deal with the political at work is very great. They should teach kids this at school.

Given his recent experience in a big coroprate, I reakon Tony Goodson would agree!

Comments

[Tony Goodson]

I reckon you're right!!

[Sam]

well said about ceremonies to reinforce hierarchy. If you watch the Apprentice, the people who are least productive and pragmatic are the ones that always call meetings. Do you remember Omarosa, who continously stoped everyone from working to hold meetings, just to make herself feel important? I've read the 'self assertiveness' article on the nub, which I believe worths a look.

http://www.thenub.net/index.php?id=P984