Avoid Unnecessary Meetings by Voicing Productive Alternatives
Certain meetings can be a waste of time , especially if you know that your presence is optional. Here’s a non-confrontational way to get out of these meetings and get back to work.
When you think that the meeting is unnecessary for you and for all the participants, it is usually best not to tell the organizer that their meeting is pointless. Instead, Jason Demers, founder and CEO of AudienceBloom, invites you to frame your opinion in the context of alternatives:
For example, instead of saying, “I don’t need to be in this meeting,” you can say, “I think it would be more productive if I worked on completing the X Project this afternoon.” Or, instead of saying, “This meeting is not necessary,” you can say, “I think a detailed email update might be sufficient.”
Thanks to this strategy, your opinions will not sound like complaints or direct objections. Now, if they have a good reason for you attending the meeting, they will let you know. Otherwise, they will likely agree that your option is more productive for you or everyone. Don’t be skeptical and bring something to the table.