meetings Archives | MoneyDigest.sg

From the moment you receive an invitation, you can already predict whether the meeting will be unproductive or not. How can you decline politely?

A meeting will take more than an hour of your time, so you can see if the other party would be willing to update you over email or short phone call.

Sometimes, even well-meaning people forget that time is not infinite. A straightforward query or reminder can help. Here are other strategies that you can apply.

#1: PRIORITIZE IMPORTANT MEETINGS

Not all meetings are created equal. Just because you have been invited to one does not mean that it is essential. Start by examining which meetings are important to attend and which are not.

The most essential meetings are the ones in which decisions will be made. If your team is choosing to launch a project, you cannot make the decision over email. Meetings that will need brainstorming or sharing of opinions should be done in person or through a teleconference.

You must also attend strategic meetings, which allows you to develop a unified vision of where your organization is headed.

#2: ASK ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Make it challenging for the other party by asking the following questions upon receiving an invitation:

1. What is the exact topic?
2. What is the meeting’s duration?
3. What is the time and location?
4. Who will be in attendance?
5. What decision needs to be made at the meeting?
6. Why is my attendance crucial there?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

#3: ENCOURAGE MEETING NOTES

Many organizations have staff meetings for information sharing. These meetings involve listening and learning about the current plans and events affecting the team. You may not have a crucial role in this meeting, but you need to stay informed.

Bring up the idea of having someone keep meeting notes during the session, so people who will not able to attend can have access to the information that was shared. Read the meeting notes instead.

#4: EXIT GRACEFULLY

If the meeting no longer pertains to you, politely ask if you can step out. It is alright to request to leave early, especially if you are busy. Message the meeting organizer to explain that you are trying to manage your time and prioritize tasks.

Meetings take up an average of 62 hours per month of employees’ time. Many professionals attempt to cope in a passive-aggressive way by showing up late to meetings or by fiddling with their gadgets.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

The strategies above provide a better way to politely get out of meetings to protect your time.

Sources: 1 & 2

Sailing through the waves of modern times, companies and bosses must think of creative ways to engage with their employees aside from meeting inside the regular office space. This is because some people do not think that meetings are necessary that even a simple email of the meeting’s summary would deliver the information efficiently than sitting down in a room with one another. But, there are decisions to be made as a whole. More so, the bond of the group is integral to the company’s dynamics.

Some factors that affect the hesitation of some Singapore employees to attend group meetings include: not being able to achieve the desired goals and not being able to go home early as the bosses would stretch the meeting beyond working hours.

To combat these factors contemporary visionaries had an idea in mind: “off-site meetings”. Brainstorming outside the halls of the office may just improve your effectiveness and camaraderie…at least that is what David Barrett (Founder and CEO of Expensify) and Nilofer Merchant (Business innovator, TED speaker, and Author) thinks.

Off-site meetings are held anywhere else aside from the office. The off-site venue is the place where the most important conversations and decisions about the company’s future are discussed. This new environment is believed to stimulate the staff’s creativity.

Here are some venue ideas that you should consider…

1. CAFES

Did you know that morning is the best time to talk about most complex tasks since it is when your body is most alert? So, arrange a breakfast meeting with your team at a cafe nearby. Cafes are inexpensive venues for a relatively small group of people. Furthermore, this will prevent discussing beyond working hours.

2. WILDLIFE RESERVES

Surround your team with the beauty of nature and the lush outdoors by having a meeting at Singapore Zoo or Night Safari. Here is the illustration of their venues and capacities:

Also, they have seminar packages starting from the price of S$55/person. Check it out here.

3. SENTOSA ISLAND

Sentosa is not only a tourist spot but also a place for unique meetings. You can have an insightful discussion while sitting in the sand or while sitting in the restaurants at the shore. Or you can take the function room route that Resorts World Convention Center offers (visit here for more details).

Image Credits: William Cho via Flickr

Experiment with the meeting venues and timings to keep your staff’s creative juices flowing. It need not be expensive as long as you focus on the quality and the objectives. 🙂

How to Politely Get Out of a Meeting

Off-Site Meetings For Modern Singapore Employees

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