Is There A Point To Meetings?

Stumbled across this infographic about meetings and thought it provided good food for thought. Quite a few of us have spent time in meetings trying not to scream because we found them to be frustrating.

I am not convinced that video conferencing will eliminate multitasking or prevent people from engaging in other behaviors that cause meetings to drag on or become less productive.

That is because good meetings almost always have a strong leader who helps keep communication on point, ensures participants are heard and that everyone understands what their role and  obligation is before and afterwards.

Is There A Point To Meetings- Webcams Help

The question isn’t really is there a point to meetings but how do you prevent people from walking away from yours feeling like they wasted their time.

My experience with Google Plus hangouts and Skype is what has sold me on video conferences and why I don’t believe it completely eliminates multitasking.

Webcams won’t prevent people from checking their phones or being distracted but it does help to eliminate some of that and it does a better job of building connections and communicating ideas than a standard conference call.

Eye contact goes a long way and it helps to ensure people understand what is going on.

When you add that tool to the list of tips above you usually will find a reduction in the number of complaints about meetings affecting productivity.

What do you think?