Is this Meeting Necessary?

We all have been impacted by this, unscheduled meetings, urgent or emergency meetings and of course, the regular scheduled meetings. The question is this; is it necessary to hold that meeting and if not, what alternatives do I have?
 
Before we rush to answer these questions, let’s remember this; what is the purpose of the meeting? We call meetings to discuss strategies, budgets, specific issues or problems, good and bad news and to plan entertainment.
 
Definitely, the meetings that I am discussing today are not necessarily for entertainment, although in a workplace, a “meeting” may be necessary to organize a team party, or a staff celebration such as welcoming or farewells.
 
Nevertheless, let’s go back to discuss the regular office meeting. I believe that the technology Era in which we are living provides us with some alternatives; a good percentage of these meetings could be replaced by a group email, a conference call, a webinar or a video conference. I understand that not all workplaces have the capability to use some of these technologies, but at the very minimum, almost everyone has access to email.
 
I am addressing this topic because these days’ time is of the essence and we can’t afford to waste limited resources.  Unnecessary meeting can be costly to companies, organizations and agencies in terms of productivity and/ or services. An unnecessary meeting can push back a direct service to a client or a customer, or could affect the deadline of an important project, just to name a few.
 
Another issue is the timing of unscheduled meetings. People are more productive in the mornings, but when the staff is called to a meeting at 4:30 or 5:00, when many people are ready to go home after a long and very busy day, it could create a problem. Many folks will be less incline to contribute either because they are tired or are looking forward to the few hours they have left to relax or deal with personal issues. The question that you must ask yourself before holding an unscheduled meeting late in the day is…Will I get the feedback that I want from the participants? The answer is probably not.
 
Therefore, the next time that you feel the urge to call your staffs for an unscheduled meeting think twice about doing it or calling it late in the day. Instead, take advantage of the technology that is available to you.