Effective Meeting Management: Adding Value, Not Just Attending

Effective Meeting Management: Adding Value, Not Just Attending 📆

Got a new meeting added to your calendar? Maybe a 30-minute weekly update session? Remind yourself, you don't have to attend every meeting you're invited to.

→ Golden Rule I have for myself for Initial Meeting Assessment: 1️⃣ Am I gaining value from this meeting? 2️⃣ Am I adding value to this meeting? ❌ If both answers are 'No', it’s time to decline. It's a waste of your time & energy.

How can you evaluate a meeting's value?

🔍 Understand the Context

  • What is the agenda of the meeting?
  • What is the purpose of the meeting?
  • Why are you needed for this meeting?
  • Any pre-reading you should do?
  • Who are you representing: yourself, your team, your org, etc.?

🤷‍♀️ Is the meeting avoidable?

  • Can it be resolved async via chat or email?
  • Is it delegatable? Can someone else attend instead of you?
  • Is someone else from your team/org already attending? If yes, why are you both required?
  • Is the duration suitable or can it be shortened?

📋 Is the meeting feasible?

  • Do you have any higher-priority tasks?
  • Is it scheduled at a good time for you?

💡 Pro-tip: Close to the meeting time, you can reach out to the organizer to check if the meeting is still needed. For example, if it's a weekly updates meeting and you have no updates, you could ask in the group chat: "I have no updates for today. Does anyone have updates to share, or should we cancel the meeting this week?". Another option is to propose sharing updates async and claim the time back.

📌 Note 1: It's easy to feel busy when you're jumping from one meeting to another. Don’t confuse motion with progress.

📌 Note 2: If you are new to your job or career, attend those meetings! They're great for building context and networking. But as you settle in, start to be more selective.

💭 I'd love to hear your strategies for managing meetings effectively. Please share your tips!

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