Meetings Suck summary

While there certainly are bad meetings, it’s important not to overlook the positive effects meetings can have, such as boosting employee morale.

If company meetings are only reserved for managers and executives, a company runs the risk of alienating lower-level employees. This is not a good idea. These employees are often the face of the organization; they usually deal with customers, and their work can be stressful, with minimal reward. So why not make sure they receive a regular boost to their energy level?

Most jobs run the risk of becoming repetitive, which can lead to employees becoming tired and uninspired. Meetings can be a good antidote to the workday doldrums – a refreshing break from the daily routine and a chance for staff to flex some different professional muscles.

Any meeting brings with it the chance to assign a few roles, such as moderator, or chairperson, the person whose job it is to make sure everyone sticks to the agenda and doesn’t go off topic.

Every successful company strives to have well-functioning, self-reliant teams. But before this can happen the team members must learn the appropriate skills. And this is another benefit of meetings: they provide a useful opportunity to temporarily change the power dynamic in order to enhance skill sets.

When you’re setting up a meeting, you don’t need to have the typical leaders run the show.

If you had to name the number one purpose for meetings, what would you say? Yes, it might be tempting to say, “taking a nap” – but let’s set sarcasm aside. Meetings are all about communication.

By bringing together leadership and team members, meetings are the best way to make sure everyone is on the same page in regards to their goals and how well they’re moving toward them.

Obviously, setting goals and staying on the right track is an important part of any successful business. But how does a company decide which track is right for them?

A popular and effective way of developing the perfect company strategy is to send team leaders on a yearly retreat – a sort of corporate vision quest.

There’s no avoiding the fact that things change, and that goes for meetings as well.

Due to the outsourcing of certain jobs and an increase in remote working, virtual or online meetings are becoming a popular way for coworkers to stay connected. And as long as you’re aware of the possibilities and limitations of this technology, there’s no reason a virtual meeting can’t be a step up from the traditional meeting.