Spot on. Meetings, if they must happen, should be used to analyzing and synthesizing information, not introducing it; they should be used to solving problems, not defining them.

I’d like to see people shift from preparing PowerPoint slides for meetings to entering their information into a wiki, a wave, or some other groupware beforehand, then use those online documents to present during meetings. That way, attendees have access to the materials before and after the meeting.

On the other hand, you’ll see an upcoming article of mine about how I prefer to start the mornings off by focusing on output-oriented tasks rather than consuming or exchanging information.

I use Wikis and information sharing (not time sharing predominant in meets) to solicit and give info now.

It’s shocking how infrequently I get invited now to meetings. I think after sitting in meetings people have organised, and starting to hammer people to keep on track, people have learnt only to invite me for urgent problem solving meetings.

And I will use your suggestion about turning up late to turn up to our fortnightly engineering group meeting 15 mins late from now on.

I also use my iPhone in meetings now when we’re off topic to get stuff done for my personal businesses. It’s awesome.

Tim
Melbourne

Cheers!!