You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[PaperBagger'14]

Initially when Covid hit AB and the shutdowns began, my company switched to teams fairly quickly and seamlessly. However there were days I would have 3+ teams meetings, most of which could have been an email. Joe Blow C-level wants to connect about new strategies for refining our Covid response protocol and how can we synergize that using our existing apps?

Here’s an idea, if they call in and say they’re sick, they don’t come to work. The end. If they have a positive test, see ya in 2 weeks.

[GirlySports]

I think there are also people who are trying to prove that hybrid and remote works so the more virtual meetings the better. Because there are still the old grey hairs out there who don't believe in it.

Pre-pandemic, I had floated out that my team (finance) could work hybrid. We can process your invoice without seeing you. It was an absolutely no, not a chance. Then the pandemic hit and IT was scrambling, they literally brought VPNs and Zoom that day (2020-03-17).

Now we proved that it works but somehow a lot of execs still feel that hybrid doesn't work and make people go back, some for 5 days again. I think it's mostly for job security. You can't manage people when they're not in front of you!

So teams meetings are being pushed to prove a point.

[Doctorfever]

For me it really hasn’t changed. Same amount of meetings, but these meetings are now in-person and on teams. So people have the choice to do what is most convenient. Saves people driving to a meeting that can be done via teams.

I have attended some meetings vis teams that I would not have attended if it wasn’t available on teams, but those are optional meetings.

[Ped]

I have nothing against Teams meetings. They are far preferable to meeting in person. I have to attend an airport safety meeting once a week, and its on Teams, and people are starting to suggest we meet in person again and I'm like no, by the time we meet I'm already at home, thanks.


What I have an issue with is people booking teams meetings for absolutely no reason when just an email will do. They seem to think, oh, we have this teams thing, we can see each other more often or something. But I don't need to see you. After you book us, I'm probably never going to talk to you again, and I certainly don't care what you look like. Just stop wasting time.

[Weitz]

People need to get better at declining meetings. I decline them all the time when I know it’s going to be useless. It usually results in an email and the problem is solved.

[woob]

Some days I welcome meetings that I know I’m not going to be super involved in, as it means I can zone out and do other work uninterrupted. And it also means when people come into my office randomly, I can just point to my headphones and continue my work.

[puffnstuff]

My most used phrase about declining meetings is 'oh yeah, i have something else then, must have just forgot to block that off. Send me an email after though, thanks'

[The Fisher Account]

Teams is such a game changer when you work at a large corporation.

I'm still shocked how we managed to have meetings with 50+ people cross-departmentally before.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Teams is such a game changer when you work at a large corporation.

I'm still shocked how we managed to have meetings with 50+ people cross-departmentally before.

There is likely no reason to have a 50+ person cross departmental meeting.

My meeting rule is a meeting must have an objective stated, an agenda, documents to review in advance and minutes of the meeting afterwards to document decisions. If not it’s not important enough to have the meeting. An effective meeting is one where the pre-work has been done. To often meetings are used to assign the work.

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by GGG

There is likely no reason to have a 50+ person cross departmental meeting.

My meeting rule is a meeting must have an objective stated, an agenda, documents to review in advance and minutes of the meeting afterwards to document decisions. If not it’s not important enough to have the meeting. An effective meeting is one where the pre-work has been done. To often meetings are used to assign the work.

Okay but I work in the real world

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Okay but I work in the real world

My philosophy is, if I am not in the “to” header of an email, I treat the email as an “fyi”. Any meetings that don’t list me as “required”, I respond as tentative and may or may not attend. If any action items arise, I am sure I will be notified.

[MoneyGuy]

The nice thing about online meetings is you can pretend to care and pay attention and no one needs to know. You can even leave for a bathroom break or a beer (generally).

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by GGG

There is likely no reason to have a 50+ person cross departmental meeting.

My meeting rule is a meeting must have an objective stated, an agenda, documents to review in advance and minutes of the meeting afterwards to document decisions. If not it’s not important enough to have the meeting. An effective meeting is one where the pre-work has been done. To often meetings are used to assign the work.

unless your ineffective lead or manager is running it