Save me from these perpetual and needless meetings!

There are two types of meetings that I know of: Productive meetings and senseless ones. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • There are various ways you can handle this matter. First, do not lie about why you would like to be excused.

  • Raise your concerns with the frequent meetings, and say that you lack time to implement agreed actions.

  • You could suggest that you start an online chat room where suggestions can be sent virtually.

Q: I work at a PR company where meetings are held every other time. You leave one meeting and head into another. In a day, we hold about five strategy meetings, which often leaves little or no time to actually implement the resolutions tabled. I feel exhausted, yet the meetings are mandatory. How can I excuse myself without looking like I am defying my supervisors?

There are two types of meetings that I know of: Productive meetings and senseless ones. It does not matter how many times you meet in a day, the key to any successful meeting is prior planning. I do appreciate that sometimes there could be need to meet over an emergency, but this cannot be the order of the day. Productive meetings are called within an acceptable timeframe, with a clear agenda and a defined duration. This is crucial to enable attendees prepare adequately, and plan the rest of the day so that they can attend to other tasks on their schedules. Senseless meetings usually happen when a smart boss gets a brainwave and rounds up everyone to test his new idea with total disregard to how other people had planned to use their time. The outcome of this is usually a situation where the boss talks too much and listens little. The meeting ends after several wasted hours, and with no action plan.

I know you are in an industry where there is need to test and critique ideas but without planning, this can reduce productivity and lead to serious burnout. There are various ways you can handle this matter. First, do not lie about why you would like to be excused. Raise your concerns with the frequent meetings, and say that you lack time to implement agreed actions. Let your managers know that you are feeling overwhelmed, and request to be excused from the meetings that do not require your input. Suggest that they allow you to attend only to contribute in the agenda that concerns your area of expertise. You could also have another member in your team represent you, or send your contributions in advance instead of attending in person. You could suggest that you start an online chat room where suggestions can be sent virtually.

Organisations are not just about internal meetings, there are clients to meet and other tasks to be performed, and thus time has to be allocated fairly. It is possible that you are not the only one feeling overwhelmed, your colleagues may be suffering in silence. Approaching this problem as a group may be a good strategy. Lastly, if no one listens to your challenges and suggestions, your employer does not deserve you.

Mwikali Muthiani - Managing Partner, MillennialHR (@MwikaliN; [email protected])