4 ms·

I truly wish I'd ever worked anywhere that would actually allow this. There are too many mandatory meetings that simply don't make this feasible for (what I wou

by dpcx 6y ago

I truly wish I'd ever worked anywhere that would actually allow this. There are too many mandatory meetings that simply don't make this feasible for (what I would assume is) a large portion of the populace.

dogma1138 6y ago
Are the meetings really mandatory? Or just assumed to be mandatory? I’m part of an architecture team and we’ve all agreed to implement a policy where unless absolutely required (e.g. multiple SMEs are needed) there shouldn’t be more than one team member in a meeting. Even our weekly team meetings aren’t mandatory unless you are on the agenda explicitly if you can attend you should but if you have more important things to do then no one would mind if you don’t.
- charles_f 6y ago
  I'm a manager of a team of 8. I've set a rule that you are free to skip or escape any meeting. We even use the nickname "the 2 feet rule : if your time is better spent someplace else use your 2 feet and leave. I rarely see someone skip a meeting, and exceptionally seen someone leave one ; and almost every time they justify why. This is despite renewing the statement almost every meeting. And the meetings I'm in, despite having value most of the time, are NOT perfect in any regards, NOT useful or enjoyable to everyone, and do not require everyone in. I'm regularly sending anonymous surveys on topics. One had questions around meetings, cadences and masses. About half the team doesn't mind the meetings and saw value in them, the other figures we have too many. The reasons why people are not leaving were majorly 1. peer pressure and fear of looking bad and 2. FOMO. And I consistently get good reviews as a manager... I'm balancing between limiting the attendance (but ego / disappointment of not being invited?), reversing the default (why are you here?) or simply cancelling/forbidding them and trying to replace by other media (online collaboration?). But the fact is that in a team with a lax manager on the topic who keeps repeating "not mandatory, get out if you want, no hard feelings", peer pressure is enough to keep people in.
  - dogma1138 6y ago
    >But the fact is that in a team with a lax manager on the topic who keeps repeating "not mandatory, get out if you want, no hard feelings", peer pressure is enough to keep people in. That really depends on the team dynamics, overall communications and how much time team members have one on one with their manager.
lykr0n 6y ago
I treat every meeting I'm in as optional unless I was specifically asked to be in it. Seems to work, but it depends greatly on where you work, your culture, and what kind of meeting is it

by dpcx 6y ago

dogma1138 6y ago

Are the meetings really mandatory? Or just assumed to be mandatory? I’m part of an architecture team and we’ve all agreed to implement a policy where unless absolutely required (e.g. multiple SMEs are needed) there shouldn’t be more than one team member in a meeting. Even our weekly team meetings aren’t mandatory unless you are on the agenda explicitly if you can attend you should but if you have more important things to do then no one would mind if you don’t.

charles_f 6y ago
I'm a manager of a team of 8. I've set a rule that you are free to skip or escape any meeting. We even use the nickname "the 2 feet rule : if your time is better spent someplace else use your 2 feet and leave. I rarely see someone skip a meeting, and exceptionally seen someone leave one ; and almost every time they justify why. This is despite renewing the statement almost every meeting. And the meetings I'm in, despite having value most of the time, are NOT perfect in any regards, NOT useful or enjoyable to everyone, and do not require everyone in. I'm regularly sending anonymous surveys on topics. One had questions around meetings, cadences and masses. About half the team doesn't mind the meetings and saw value in them, the other figures we have too many. The reasons why people are not leaving were majorly 1. peer pressure and fear of looking bad and 2. FOMO. And I consistently get good reviews as a manager... I'm balancing between limiting the attendance (but ego / disappointment of not being invited?), reversing the default (why are you here?) or simply cancelling/forbidding them and trying to replace by other media (online collaboration?). But the fact is that in a team with a lax manager on the topic who keeps repeating "not mandatory, get out if you want, no hard feelings", peer pressure is enough to keep people in.
- dogma1138 6y ago
  >But the fact is that in a team with a lax manager on the topic who keeps repeating "not mandatory, get out if you want, no hard feelings", peer pressure is enough to keep people in. That really depends on the team dynamics, overall communications and how much time team members have one on one with their manager.

lykr0n 6y ago

I treat every meeting I'm in as optional unless I was specifically asked to be in it. Seems to work, but it depends greatly on where you work, your culture, and what kind of meeting is it