Myths that ruin meetings

Myths have never been proven to be true; however, they explain human behavior and are passed on from generation to generation. These myths are tied to various concepts of different areas of our lives including business and it extends to "meetings" too. Meetings are important and cannot be discarded if the goal of a business is to grow; they provide a means for effective communication, teamwork, and proper decision-making. But, there have been some misconceptions shooting the idea to be a less effective one. Hence, the need to watch out for these random beliefs and make sure they don't get in your way as a business owner or career person.

What are these myths that ruin meetings?

Myth: Meetings should start right away regardless of who is not present. 

Everyone has a thing or two to contribute, and also, people see things from different perspectives. A fuller meeting attendance means enough contributions that can be explored to make a decision or see the way forward. It is right for whoever is anchoring the meeting to ask if everyone is present and be thoughtful enough to wait a few minutes for them. 

Myth: Daily standups are not enough, longer meetings yield better results and productivity.  

Daily standups are good and effective to keep workers informed about the development of ongoing tasks, they are not usually intense but they play a role. Although, they can not replace long weekly meetings, they help to get workers in the "function mode" everyday which is very much important. Longer meetings, on the other hand, give room for new ideas to be explored and agendas to be tabled. Weekly or monthly meetings mean there are bigger projects to be executed and strategic planning has to come into the picture. Furthermore, longer meetings can create time to brainstorm ideas, discuss challenges and project solutions.

Myth: Everyone dislikes meetings

While some employees may sometimes not look forward to meetings for reasons best known to them, this does not apply to everyone. Some workers have an interesting idea during their personal time and cannot wait to share it during a meeting. When meetings are well-organized and engaging, people want to participate. This is to say that the response of people to meetings is dependent on factors such as the purpose and timing. When employees understand why they are gathered and the timing is appropriate, this brings everyone to the same page and the meeting is productive. 

Myth: Meeting notes are not necessary because you may not revisit them.

While the secretary of an organization takes down the minutes of every meeting, it is not just for the consumption of the key players but for every other person working within the organization. These notes are sent to the emails of employees so that they can also go through them and take action on their part. This is essential for accountability and tracking the progress of a task or project as time goes on. In subsequent meetings, the notes can be revisited to tick off whatever has been completed or executed. 

Myth: Meeting should follow a strict and highly professional method.

This is one of the reasons people do not look forward to meetings and have their attention divided whenever they attend one.

Having proper arrangements for a meeting is good, but being too rigid during the meeting can suppress the flexibility and creativity of those in attendance. A meeting can focus on its purpose and still give people the atmosphere to be expressive without feeling out of place. 

Myth: Meetings held in person are more effective than the ones held online

If physical meetings are not properly strategized, they would yield no better outcome. Although they may work well to increase the level of interaction between workers and help to build good relationships; remote meetings are not entirely bad and can also be as effective as face-to-face meetings. An organization can pick whichever suits them as long as it ticks all their boxes. 

The myths discussed above and several others have caused people to indulge in a couple of unproductive activities in their careers and businesses. These myths are not entirely true and a conscious effort has to be made to debunk them if an organization strives towards creating an engaging, productive, and efficient work culture.