The counter-question that makes your meetings more efficient
Datum: 2025-09-25 09:16
Sometimes there are just too many meetings. Sure, meetings are a necessary and practical way to get things done together with others but I often hear people say they have more meetings than they wish they had.
Meetings can be fantastic, but also redundant or unnecessary. Many I meet testify to more than once having been in a meeting while thinking to themselves “What on Earth am I doing here?”.
For you who prefer listening to reading, this post is also available as an episode of the ""Done!"" podcast:
Distinct before diffuse
The best meetings are those in which you actually do what you intended to during that particular meeting, where you feel that you are adding value and that you have a clear role. Personally, I have a hard time with meetings that are ambiguous, diffuse, and where it is unclear what we want to accomplish. Instead of spending time in these gatherings, I want to use my time wisely to get the most important and prioritized tasks done.
A short but crucial question
One clever way of having more efficient meetings and not having to attend those that just waste your time is to ask the following simple and innocent question when requested to attend a meeting:
“What am I expected to contribute with?”.
You will, of course, phrase it as you see fit but if the purpose of the question is to check in with the leader of the meeting why he or she wants to include you, it will effectively sift out the purposeful meetings from those less so.
I have done this often throughout the years and it usually results in one of two things:
- Either the leader of the meeting has a clear idea of what your presence will contribute with that now becomes even more apparent and it also becomes easier for you to do, be, or deliver just that.
- Or, the leader of the meeting just “thought it would be nice if you joined” in general, and when this is the case, asking for clarification might result in you getting to spend that precious hour doing other things that are more highly prioritized. Perhaps you can ask the other attendants to record the meeting (if it is digital) and then watch it some other time to get an idea of what was said and decided during the meeting?
Do this
Do you also sometimes wonder why exactly you were asked to join a meeting you find yourself in? If so, ask the person who requested your presence what you are expected to contribute (when this is not already crystal clear) during meetings you are asked to partake in for the next few weeks to come.
As time passes, notice if the meetings you do attend feel more focused and distinct. Are there meetings you otherwise would have participated in but which you can now say no to (without feeling the least bad about it)?
Add more value and have better meetings
If you make sure to ask what you are expected to bring to the meetings you attend, it will become easier to contribute with just that. You can let your particular light shine even brighter and I would not be surprised if you feel that you are being more useful and adding more value than before. And as a bonus, you no longer have to attend pointless or purposeless meetings. Good for you!
What’s your way?
How do you make sure you only participate in meaningful meetings? Please write to me and share your thoughts.
(Few things are more uncomfortable than sitting in a meeting, fully aware that you’re not as prepared as you’d like to be. Here you can read more about how to avoid showing up unprepared!)
There are more tricks to discover!
If you want more tips on how to create good structure at work, there are many ways to get that from me - in podcasts, videos, books, talks and other formats.
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