How to Get Noticed in Any Meeting
7 Simple Things Anyone Can Do
“The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings,” said Thomas Sowell. Given that American companies lose $37 billion each year to unproductive meetings, this seems to have some merit. Meetings have become the default procrastination for those who don’t want to actually do some work.
It’s a well-earned reputation. I’m not sure how many meetings you attend each week, but I’m guessing it’s both more than you’d like and more than is necessary. Spending hours listening to your boss collect minor status updates or your coworkers try to talk over one another isn’t a productive use of your day. It’s not a surprise that people see meetings as their biggest barrier to productivity — in many companies that’s just what they are.
And yet, meetings are important. The higher you rise in an organization, the more you realize that meetings are your best chance to get things done. They create the opportunity to debate and develop new ideas, reinforce vision and strategy, and quickly respond to any problems. They’re one of the best ways to shape an organization’s culture and expand your influence.
They’re also one of the best ways to stand out from those around you. While everyone else falls into a “business as usual” mode, zones out, and lets the loudest…
