Love them or hate them, meetings are a big part of working life. From management meetings that can last all day, to stand-up meetings and Skype calls that can be over in a matter of minutes, there are some things you just should simply never EVER do in meetings.
19 Things to avoid doing in meetings:
1. Fall asleep
While this may seem an obvious one, but long meetings in a warm room can often make you feel drowsy. If you’re beginning to struggle with keeping your eyes open, get up and go for a short walk or open a window. Keep meetings short and to the point, and allow breaks for longer meetings to avoid this. Coffee can also be your friend here.
2. Pass wind
Is there ever an appropriate time to pass wind in the office? Certainly not in a meeting! If you feel the need, politely ask to leave the room for a moment saving yourself and others any embarrassment.
3. Answer your mobile
Nothing should be more important than the meeting you are in. If you are expecting an urgent call then let everyone know beforehand that you may have to interrupt the meeting to answer it, otherwise keep your mobile on silent and in your pocket. Or better still, don’t take it into the meeting room with you.
4. Bite your nails
Biting your nails is not an overly attractive look in meetings, and something your colleagues or clients don’t really need to be seeing. This can suggest that you are nervous and might leave others in the meeting worrying about where you’re going to put the nails you bite off. Leave your nails alone until you are out of the meeting.
5. Attend hungover
While a few drinks after work can sometimes help you relax and unwind, don’t turn this into a session, particularly on a school night! The hangover just isn’t worth it, especially if you have a meeting. Turning up hungover to a meeting looks unprofessional and will likely result in you being less attentive than normal. This is easy to prevent though, if you know you have a meeting the next day, don’t go overboard on the after-work drinks.
6. Wear too much deodorant (or none at all)
This applies equally to males and females in meetings, nobody wants to choke on the ‘fumes’ of others although more deodorant is better than none at all when it comes to a meeting.
7. Chew gum
Chewing gum can be pretty standard for those after lunch meetings where you want minty fresh breath. Chewing gum in a meeting however, is not a good look. Best to run with some mints that you can easily swallow, or dispose of your gum before entering the meeting room.
8. Be unprepared
You should always go into meetings prepared and ready to listen to what others have to say. There are exceptions though when it can be beneficial to go into a meeting without prep, especially if it is a first meeting, as this can sometimes allow you to get the right information gathered. Our advice though – turn up to your meeting prepared and ready to listen.
9. Turn up late
As the famous Vince Lombardi once said, “if you’re five minutes early, you’re already ten minutes late.” Regardless of how important the meeting is, if you have agreed to be there be there early or not at all. If it’s an internal meeting, don’t be late, as this just keeps everyone else back.
Of course, there may be instances that prevent this happening which may be out of your control. You may come across a typical NI driver on the way to the meeting, so this is just another reason to try and give yourself plenty of time to make meetings, especially any that are off site. If you are running late, do be courteous and phone ahead.
10. Talking so much no one else gets a chance to speak
Remember meetings are not a competition to see who can talk the most. Sometimes it’s good to listen!
11. Not dress appropriately
A lot of offices in Northern Ireland have dress down Fridays, perfect if you spend all week in a suit. It is important to understand that dress code often reflects the culture of a company, so always dress accordingly for your meetings, and if it’s a first-time meeting, try to make a good impression.
12. Forget someone’s name
We’ve all been there at one time or another; you get introduced to a room full of new faces for the first time at a meeting and your brain instantly goes blank. You struggle to remember all the names and don’t want to attempt in case you get it wrong. Honesty is the best policy here. If you forget someone’s name, just excuse yourself and ask them to repeat it. Where possible, note down all the names after you are introduced.
13. Doodling
While doodling can sometimes be a sign of creativity in an individual, and a means to express themselves, when it comes to a meeting it can often be construed as bad manners, and not giving the room your full attention. If you are doodling because you are bored in a meeting, try to find something that refocuses you, and consider talking to the meeting organiser afterwards to say you didn’t get much from the meeting. This can help with future meetings.
14. Yawning
It’s been a long day and you’re sitting in a meeting when suddenly you begin yawning as a colleague or client is midway through talking. While it’s not the worst thing you can do in a meeting, yawning can sometimes be misinterpreted as a sign of boredom by others, and never a good look. If you are feeling tired ask for the window to be opened, and always cover your mouth when yawning to draw less attention.
15. Test the technology
If your meeting involves a presentation and requires the use of technology, whether this is a computer, projector, TV and internet, or a combination of these, be sure to test everything works properly in advance of your meeting. The IT Manager (listed as one of our 11 undervalued NI jobs), could be busy at the moment you need them most, and your meeting could suffer as a result.
16. Not having refreshments
It’s just common courtesy to offer refreshments for meetings, whether they are internal or external. This doesn’t always mean getting the caterers in and getting sandwiches, fruit and scones out. If you’ve arranged the meeting, be sure to offer those attending, a glass of water or some tea or coffee.
17. Too much small talk
You can talk about what you had for dinner last night or the latest episode of ‘I’m A Celebrity’ for as long as you wish, but the quicker you get down to talking business, the quicker the meeting will be offer. Leave the chit chat to your lunch break and make your meeting a productive one by only discussing key points.
18. Not having an agenda
If you have organised the meeting it is helpful to send an agenda around to all those involved, to highlight the areas that will be covered during the meeting, to give them time to prepare. An agenda helps to provide a guide for the meeting, making it flow much better.
19. Not taking down minutes
Again, if you have organised or are chairing the meeting, be sure to note down minutes to ensure relevant action points can be drawn up following the meeting. These keeps everyone informed with what the outcomes from the meeting are, and ensures there is an end focus to the meeting. It’s also good to document things for reference in case it is needed for review later.
Got anything to add?
Is there anything that annoys you about meetings that we have missed? Let us know on our Facebook or Twitter page, or in the comments section below.
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