Meet your meeting blues
WHAT does the word, meeting conjure up for you? A couple of yawns, and a bored expression, or a sense of deja vu and a long drawn out groan of `not again!' For those of us for whom meetings are the order of the day, every meeting is just another meeting. Especially team meetings. Teammates tend to become lax, informal, and casual. This sometimes robs meetings of their impact and dilutes the purpose of them.
However, no matter how well bonded a team is, or how informal their relationship, it always helps to follow a certain protocol to ensure that the meeting sticks to its agenda and the purpose of the meet is achieved. A too informal atmosphere may act as a distraction and divert the purpose of the meet. The importance of the matter gets eroded and subsequently, it might affect the pace of the implementation process. Whether it is a formal or an informal meeting, maintaining the sanctity of the meeting is essential to retain a sense of seriousness. An informal team meeting, a club meet, a formal affair with the top bosses or a meeting with your colleagues. Whatever be the case, you could try the following to ensure that the meeting takes place with of seriousness.
Is it necessary to be formally attired for the meet?
Perhaps. If it's a formal meet initiated by the top management, it may be necessary to be attired suitably although the dress code need not be specifically mentioned. If the meet has been called on an impromptu basis, then of course you cannot help it. But ensure that you dress soberly.
Is it ok to be yourself?
Of course, but in a well-behaved sort of way. Although there's no particular code of conduct to be followed at a meet, ensure that you adhere to the basic tenets of appropriate and polite behaviour! For instance, it certainly wouldn't look good or make the speaker feel any better if you were to suddenly get up and walk out of the meet midway. Despite having a genuine reason. The decent thing to do would be to formally excuse yourself and if possible, state a valid reason. But avoid taking an inordinately long time finishing your urgent task. But otherwise, contribute to the meet, without making it look like you're on the floor of the stock market! In short, follow conversational etiquette to be an effective contributor. Learn to gauge when you can appropriately pitch in with your ideas.
What if the meeting is dragging...
Participation in a meet is often, though not always, voluntary. Nobody can physically drag you into a meet that you do not want to attend! But sometimes, there are some meets that are mandatory. If you feel the meeting is dragging or has been diverted from the main topic, remind the others of the fact. You could state that you have other urgent tasks to attend to, and would appreciate if the meeting could be wound up as soon as possible. If you fear that making a statement like that is inviting trouble, simply sit tight, take short breathers whenever the meeting gets lax, and discreetly doodle in your scribble pad! Try and stifle your yawns of course!
Does body language matter?
It does. Look appropriately alert and interested in the meet. Whatever meet you're attending is actually for your benefit, you'll stay in the know of what's happening. So it pays to stay attentive and clued in, asking relevant questions and clarifying matters when you have the opportunity to do so. So kill that slouch, straighten those drooping shoulders, and blink often to stay awake! Take notes, if you don't trust your memory, or at least carry a scribble pad and a pen to show that you're ready for a serious session.
Finally, at the end of the meet, avoid looking as if you're ready to bolt right out of conference hall. Take a minute to gather your thoughts, think of things you may want clarified, and if they are confidential, seek time with the concerned person to get them resolved.
SAMYUKTA KODA
samyukta.hyd@cnkonline.com
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