Avoid Meeting! This is easier to say that to do in many situations. Nevertheless, many meetings waste time and should be avoided, if possible. Here are some strategies:
- Simply decline to attend the meeting if the subject matter really does not concern your area of expertise or responsibility. If you know someone who really should attend, suggest that person as a member.
- If you are manager a team, appoint someone on your team to be your proxy at this meeting. This individual should be able to speak for your team’s viewpoint. Clearly, only people who have both the technical knowledge and some leadership aptitude would qualify to be your representative.
- If a meeting will only have one agenda item that affects you, ask the meeting organizer to move that to the start of the meeting and inform him or her that you plan to only attend the beginning of the meeting. After that discussion or decision has been completed, quietly leave.
- Suggest that there are few topics that need your direct input or your presence during the meeting; however, that you would like to be included on the distribution of meeting minutes, just in case, some topic is discussed that might need your sign-off. However, if you choose this option, do indeed commit to reading those meeting minutes.
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