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Antiwork

Take a stand and start cancelling your meetings! I can’t be the only one tired of all these unnecessary ones

The proactive approach Avoiding potentially wasteful meetings One of Dr. Rogelberg’s findings, which he explained in an interview, is that: “Much of meeting activity is just habits.”  Because of this it’s easy to go on autopilot when scheduling meetings. But what results is excessively frequent, needlessly long meetings. So, before you call for a meeting, think about: Whether the topic or issue needs to be addressed in a live meeting.  Who needs to be invited to the meeting and what they’d be expected to contribute. For example, is there a specific decision that needs to be made? Does it require input from others? If the answer’s yes to both questions, a meeting makes sense.  The reactive approach Canceling existing meetings Nothing erodes your reputation like canceling meetings too frequently or without the proper tact. But let’s face it: you’re going to need to cancel or postpone a meeting every once…


The proactive approach

Avoiding potentially wasteful meetings

One of Dr. Rogelberg’s findings, which he explained in an interview, is that:

“Much of meeting activity is just habits.” 

Because of this it’s easy to go on autopilot when scheduling meetings. But what results is excessively frequent, needlessly long meetings. So, before you call for a meeting, think about:

  1. Whether the topic or issue needs to be addressed in a live meeting. 
  2. Who needs to be invited to the meeting and what they’d be expected to contribute.

For example, is there a specific decision that needs to be made? Does it require input from others? If the answer’s yes to both questions, a meeting makes sense. 

The reactive approach

Canceling existing meetings

Nothing erodes your reputation like canceling meetings too frequently or without the proper tact. But let’s face it: you’re going to need to cancel or postpone a meeting every once in a while.

  1. Notify meeting attendees at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
  2. Provide a reason—not to all attendees—but to your supervisors or key team members attending the meeting.
  3. Be respectful in how you communicate your intent to cancel and reason for doing so. In-person is best but email can work. Avoid texts or Slack messages.

Declining meeting invites

To avoid needing to cancel meetings, you can decline them in a productive way. Here’s a synopsis of the steps author Dr. Liane Davey suggests following to cancel meetings in a polite way:

Assess the value of the meeting

Ask yourself if the meeting is about something important and timely and if it’s set up for success. If not, ask open-ended questions before declining or accepting. For example: 

  • Could you please provide some additional information about the agenda?
  • What stage of decision-making are we at on this topic?
  • How should I prepare for the discussion?

Determine if you’re the right person to attend

If you know the meeting is valuable, then you need to determine if you’re the right person to attend. Make sure the meeting topics are within the scope of your role and that you have the expertise and authority to contribute to the conversation. 

If you’re not sure you’re the right person to invite, ask the meeting organizer questions like:

  • What are you looking for me to contribute at this meeting?
  • Who else will be there from my department?
  • Who will I be representing?

Decide if the meeting is a priority for you

Think about whether the meeting is a priority relative to your other work demands. Or if someone else could make a more useful contribution to the meeting. If the meeting’s not a priority for you or someone else should go in your place, the meeting should be a pass.

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