Its 4pm today (read day-before-yesterday), when I have started doodling this blog post. Yes, I am one of those people who sometimes write their blog post on paper before they digitize it. This is being done in the throes or should I say meanders of a meeting. It had started 2 hours ago, and I am getting shudders remembering it. From the start, all of us knew that it was going to be a monster of a meeting.
Still, we managed to touch base upon pollination of flowers, onion and potato rates and how interesting the commodities market is becoming. We had assembled to finalize SAP process flows. We are a retail merchandising firm. I love meetings.
The ideal number of people in a meeting is 3-4, the moment it goes above that, you are asking for trouble. You will have atleast one person (like moi in this case) who will be doodling on a piece of paper.
Focus Prasad!! Focus!!!
Its 8pm now, and we have managed to cover some ground, but it looks pretty glum from my end. I decided to put together a small list that people like me can do when they end up in meetings such as these –
- Think about the more recent interesting stuff you have read
- Start a screensaver in your mind, I personally like the Hufo’s Smoke on a linux machine
- Butt into the meeting with something that borders between sense and incoherence to make your presence felt
- Try listening for a change and even add “value” to the meeting
- Try playing your favorite tune in your head
- Send stratified SMSes to your loved ones
- Make lists such as these, preferably with a straight face
- Think about new ways to customize your blog and your website
- Order for coffee and biscuits
- Move about the meeting as if people are calling you out for something important or the other
- Drink enough coffee/water that you have to visit the water closet
Got any more? Do drop me in a line then!!
Cheers.
Try and get hold of “The Dilbert Principle”. If you haven’t already read it, that book talks about various types of people in a meeting. Also it explains how really a project is managed.
Paisa vasool!