Author: Colette Carlson
Are you guilty of multi-tasking during meetings? Unfortunately, being present during meetings, especially present-day Impactful Virtual Meeting, is so rare, I wish I could bottle and sell it. Here’s a few facts you can toss around the tele-conferencing office (Source: Prezi State of Attention Research): In any online meeting about 95 percent of the audience is probably multi-tasking. […]
Are you guilty of multi-tasking during meetings? Unfortunately, being present during meetings, especially present-day Impactful Virtual Meeting, is so rare, I wish I could bottle and sell it.
Here’s a few facts you can toss around the tele-conferencing office (Source: Prezi State of Attention Research):
It is no wonder that one of the most frequently-asked questions I get these days is: “Colette, how do I gracefully leave a (boring, unfocused, rambling, pointless – or choose your own words) meeting?”
The Art of Meetings
With apologies to everyone who likes to debate this point, no one is good at serious multi-tasking, especially those of us who jump from in-person to virtual to social pressures. The problem is that most everyone believes they have mastered the multi-tasking skill, including those who are running the meetings.
As a result, far too many meetings ramble, many are eminently forgettable and even more (dare I say it?) are unnecessary. Facing the prospect of a pointless meeting, attendees, virtual or in-person, tune-out and multi-task. Hence, why so many people contact me looking for advice on tactful ways to avoid rambling meetings or to opt-out, drop-out, scram and sneak-away.
For the record, it is perfectly OK to “wait for a breath (if the person is too long-winded) and politely say, “Excuse me, but I’m signing off as I have another commitment. I’ll catch up later for anything I’ve missed.” There’s no need to apologize for leaving a meeting if more pressing priorities demand your time and/or information can easily be gathered elsewhere. Say it with a smile, and scram.
Of course, it shouldn’t get to that point, which is why I suggest you follow:
The best meetings are those that accomplish their intended purpose, where everyone is “present,” feels seen and heard, and moves the organization in a mindful and authentic way.
Article by: Colette Carlson
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