Ineffective and inefficient meetings waste time, but business meetings can be invaluable when appropriately conducted. Here’s why they remain important:
- Optimal Communication Method: Despite the multitude of modern communication technologies, face-to-face meetings offer the quickest and most effective way to convey important information. It’s crucial to respect meeting time by focusing on the most pressing issues.
- Reducing Conflicts and Avoidance: While addressing issues outside of meetings can sometimes lead to emotional and unresolved conflicts, formal meetings provide a respectful and structured environment to tackle significant problems. Without this outlet, unresolved issues can recur and cause frustration.
- Establishing Accountability: Meetings are key in setting clear objectives, discussing alternatives, and reaching consensus. When tasks are clearly assigned to individuals with specific deadlines and documented, the likelihood of successful completion increases significantly.
Final Thought: Balancing Managers and Makers
Workplace teams often comprise ‘managers’ and ‘makers.’ Makers are the individuals directly engaged in productive work, and they typically prefer uninterrupted work sessions, often in the morning. Managers, however, can adapt to meetings throughout the day as they handle various issues in shorter, focused periods.
They may resist participating if meetings intrude on makers’ peak productivity times. Understanding that this reluctance stems from a drive for productivity rather than a poor attitude is crucial. Therefore, schedule meetings with makers outside their most productive periods to respect and enhance their efficiency.
The key is to align meeting times with the natural rhythms of your team, ensuring that everyone can contribute fully without hindering productivity.
