I wonder if there is a simple and straightforward formula which determines the value proposition of having a meeting at work. Corporations love looking at the bottom line. Cost saving measures abound in these economically straightened times. Travel budgets are slashed, weary executives travel coach class and nights out on the company expense accounts usually stretch no further than a burger at TGI Fridays, if you are lucky.
It is depressing when you attend a meeting knowing fully that it is pointless. It is doubly depressing when you know your fellow attendees probably feel the same way, but nobody else wants to cancel the meeting. I guess it depends on the corporate culture. Here in Tokyo, decision making is basically building consensus, and meetings are all about sharing information. What ends up happening is you have ten people sitting in a room and one person talking. Out of the ten, maybe three would have some idea on what is going on. Two will be asleep, and the rest would be nodding but with a glazed over look in their eyes.
So, is there a solution? Maybe have Outlook or Notes or your meeting organizer somehow hookup to the HR database and come up with how much the meeting is costing the company? If you have ten people, each costing say $50 an hour to employ, an hour long meeting is going to cost $500. Is it worth the expense? Would it be better to get everybody out of the office and to a bar or a restaurant for a meal (probably costing around $500 – TGIFridays!). Maybe people can have a bit of fun, and relax and get something done as opposed to just sitting around slowly sinking into a dazed sort of stupor.