ZAZ: One of the bright spots about working for a megacorporation was the training slides on how to have good meetings. We didn't follow the slides, of course, but I learned to see what was wrong in some meetings. Short version: Don't try to have substantive discussions with more than five people in the room. Big meetings are for status updates, not problem solving.

I think I've been in a good meeting with more than five people, but never more than 10, and in that case, every person was a matter expert on a given topic and we were building something together (This is a software design meeting - Three Core systems people, two Serialization, one QA, one Tech Doc, one UI and one Architect + the Secretary taking notes.). This was way before agile ( ~ 1995) and we basically didn't see each other in a group like that but once a week.

Unfortunately they're the mandatory ones.

The only times a time wasting moron really gets to me is the one person who for some reason always chimes in in a meeting and either asks the same question that you answered have beat'n into their head a dozen times or when you get the person who offered a suggestion for a route to take but was overruled by the group brings up changing to their idea well past the point of no return.... when the current route is clear sailing.

I lose at least 3 hours each week because of one guy.

Business 101: Always avoid meetings with time-wasting morons

/Never been to a meeting that was useful.

stuhayes2010

Never been to a meeting that was useful

Had a conference call meeting that was useful once. Kept the phone on mute about 98% of the time as me and my client ate doughnuts (I brought them, I knew this was going to be a disaster). The other 2% of the time, was the client unmuting to say "yes" or "no".

Lasted about 4 hours. From the perspective of the client it was a complete waste, but I got to bill 4 hours. That was useful.

I wonder if they controlled for the natural tendency toward intro/extroversion of the subjects. I would think that the comparison to other people in a group setting would have a more profound effect on people who are generally uncomfortable in group settings to begin with.

I just hate the guy that won't shut the fark up with his constant stream of inane questions.

Incog_Neeto: I just hate the guy that won't shut the fark up with his constant stream of inane questions.

We have one of those people who just says what someone else has said before and then looks around like its some revelation.

Genju: Incog_Neeto: I just hate the guy that won't shut the fark up with his constant stream of inane questions.

We have one of those people who just says what someone else has said before and then looks around like its some revelation.

Dr. Zoidberg: Strange. Why would Nixon, an awkward, uncomfortable man, suddenly throw a party, one of the most social events imaginable? Is a trap, is why! They're going to deactivate all the robots!
[pause]
Dr. Zoidberg: I don't hear any gasping.
Leela: We all figured that out.
Dr. Zoidberg: Aw.

I recently got re-orged into a department that's very heavy on long "consensus-building" meetings and by-the-numbers process, after the luxury of about 10 years with a highly-independent virtual "get-it-done" team. It's been so long since I've had my soul crushed this much that I'm at a loss of what to do besides just ragequit and live in a van by the river.

Not having any luck with job applications, which means either my resume really sucks, or I'm getting paid too much, or I'm too old (44). So I've been saving up for a really really nice van...

I'm usually one of the smartest guys in the room, so I shake my head and kinda lay back in my chair when things start to collapse.

My observations:

Business 101 is full of time-wasting morons

Only time-wasting morons have to reserve a time in a dedicated room to "touch base", because they can't deal with the myriad better alternatives.

/oblig.