Not the Last Thing You Want to Do

Recently, while studying for a class, I ran across some time management tips - there was a section devoted to "How to Prepare for Meetings." The tips were simple enough and ranged from "make a formal invitation" to "prepare an agenda." Each tip was seemingly obvious and not too difficult to manage. I guess there are those that need and benefit from this advice.

The last tip, however, baffled me and caused me to give pause and thus, present it here. The very last suggestion was worded exactly as follows:

• Schedule a meeting for late in the day if you want it to be short. Business has a tendency to move quickly as it approaches five o'clock.

Schedule a meeting late in the day. Late in the day. You mean when no one is at their peak, when the day's aggravations have built up and are ready to bust out wide open? You mean when no one wants to sit in a meeting and all they can think about is when it will be through because traffic is getting worse by the minute? You mean when everyone is hungry and grumpy? You mean when absolutely nothing can be accomplished or even clear decisions be made?

You may have determined that I have a little problem with this last piece of advice. I am a firm believer that meetings are good, that bringing together decision makers or peers to study a situation or create & develop is a productive use of resources. It is not a waste of time nor something that should be rushed through.

So this is not a discussion about teamwork, whether it is effective or not and to what situation. This is a question about timing and whether or not a team is best served by creating a circumstance that prohibits effective use of time and mind. A tired or restless mind is not a committed or efficient mind. It is tired and/or restless.

The best meeting experiences for me have been in meetings held at 10am. The day is in progress, morning routines are well underway, alertness is at a peak, and subsequent kinks may be worked out later in the day, if need be.

Business has a tendency to move quickly as it approaches five o'clock. Everyone is ready to leave, they don't to want to think about an issue or discuss a new approach. A late-in-the-day meeting will most likely have to reconvene at another time. Tensions may flair due to fatigue or developed impatience; I doubt either is good for the team or business.
Time management failed; success avoided. I doubt that was on the agenda.

by rayannethorn

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thomas Patrick Chuna on August 24, 2009 at 8:41am

I agree 100% Rayanne..

When I worked for a clean - air technology company as an applications specialist, it often fell to me to schedule meetings with prospects and distributors, and I always pushed for early meetings.. we had a complex "sell" so I wanted everyone to be at their peak...I was happy with anything from 6 to 11 AM, and failing that, I wouldn't agree to anything after 2PM. even if it was a "go to meeting" type deal over the internet, I always said "the earlier the better"

If the meeting is moving slowly, that's the fault of the meeting leader, IMHO.

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Permalink Reply by pam claughton on August 24, 2009 at 9:12am

Rayanne,
I think I read this a little differently than you did, as the key here is the statement, "if you want the meeting to be short." That is when it might be a good time to hold the meeting. Especially if it's a meeting you really don't want to be having. I think it depends too on who is asking for the meeting. If you are trying to sell someone or at least establish a relationship, you do want them at their best when they are not rushed, so you wouldn't ask for a late day meeting. However, the person agreeing to the meeting might, especially if they agreed somewhat reluctantly.

Or if it's not a sales meeting at all, say an internal meeting, where you know from past experience that there's a lot of wasted time, and having a shorter meeting might mean people get to the point faster and the meeting is more productive. I'm thinking back to my days on the corporate side, and the sometimes painfully long conference calls where everyone 'checks in'. Things like that could benefit from a bit of tightening up.

~Pam

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Permalink Reply by Peter Ceccarelli on August 24, 2009 at 4:15pm

Don't you think a lot of companies have meeting standards with a definite beginning and end time? Most companies I have worked for do. So regardless of the time of day, they usually begin when the invite states and end when the invite states. However..........the last thing most of us want to do is attend a meeting that starts anytime after 4:00. You're right. We're all fresher in the earlier hours. I think the bigger issue is to challenge meetings that have no value or outcome attached to them, and then push back in regards as to why it's being held in the first place. And if it's a dreaded meeting that no one wants to attend regardless of the time of day, then it's push back time in my opinion. If the decision maker(s) are not in attendance, then it's a HUGE waste of time too. People usually don't mind meetings regardless of the time as long as they add value and are constructive. Serve coffee if it's late!