Why are Some Meetings a Waste of Time?

Important: GDPR Email Preferences

As you may already know, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be coming into effect on 25th May 2018. We take your privacy seriously and we are working hard to ensure we comply with the new data protection laws. You can find out more about how we're doing this in our privacy policy on our website.

We want to make sure you continue to receive the latest newsletters, blogs, special offers and more.

As someone who has opted-in to receive our emails in the past, we’d like to give you this opportunity to confirm what you wish to receive:

Just so you know, if you don’t let us know what kinds of emails you want to receive from us, we’ll stop emailing you on the 24th May 2018 - you'll be missing out!

You are of course free to change your mind at any time – just follow the link at the bottom of any of our emails.

Why are some meetings a waste of time?

Many meetings are often a waste of time because:

1. The meeting was held "out of habit".
2. The meeting lacked a definite purpose.
3. Too many people, or the wrong people, were invited to attend.
4. There was no proper agenda.
5. The meeting was badly chaired and went off-topic.
6. The conversation was chaotic.
7. The delegates were ill-prepared.
8. The delegates' attitudes were negative.
9. The decision was deferred again, and so the meeting achieved nothing of value.
10. The cost of the meeting was more than its value.

Learn how to chair a successful meeting.

How to make meetings more efficient

In order to fix the problem that meetings are a waste of time, remember the following:

1. Meetings should not be called out of habit.
2. All meetings should be held in order to achieve a definite purpose.
3. Only a minimum number should attend, and they should be the right people.
4. There should be a written agenda.
5. A competent chair person should run the meeting and keep things on track.
6. The conversation should be ordered, systematised and kept on track, by the chairperson.
7. The delegates should prepare themselves by finding, organising and bringing the information that is necessary to make the final decision.
8. The delegates should strive to attend the meeting with their CAN-DO attitude switched on.
9. Don't dither. Make the decision. Recognise that decisions must be made in the light of incomplete and uncertain knowledge.
10. Ensure the value of the meeting outweighs its cost.

To calculate the hidden cost of your meetings, try this brilliant Cost of Meetings App.

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

Blogs by Email

Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!

Further Reading in Time Management

• How to be More Efficient and Effective.
  Do you struggle to find enough time to get everything done in a day? Perhaps you are feeling stressed and exhausted from have too much to do. Here are some great tips to getting the most benefit from your time and energy.
  Read Article >
• How To Prioritise Tasks Effectively
  Discover how to prioritise effectively and improve your time management skills with our helpful guide. Find out more about our training courses online today.
  Read Article >
• How can I better delegate
  Delegation is vital because you cannot do it all. You don't have the time, the energy, or the knowledge to do it all. And even if you did, you should still delegate some tasks as a means of training others and developing their range of skills.
  Read Article >
• What is the Pomodoro Technique?
  The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique; the purpose of which is to increase work efficiency, maximise concentration and minimize mental fatigue.
  Read Article >
• How to plan your time effectively
  Good Time Planning Planning ahead (in writing) is one of the keys to personal effectiveness. You need to plan ahead. Failure to plan ahead would force you into the position of acting without a plan, meaning; you would be making it up as you go along, which would mean that you...
  Read Article >

Looking for Time Management Training?

If you're looking to develop your Time Management Skills, you may find this Time Management Training Course beneficial:

Open Training Course Pricing and Availability

Next Open Course Starts in 5 days, Online - Teams, places available Book Now >