Recently, one of my clever clients with impressive technical skills, was complaining about the endless supply of useless meetings that make up his day. To him, they feel like a complete waste of time. But are they?

Maybe.

But, not if it’s an opportunity to build trust through spending time together.

Or a chance to witness the underlying emotions and relational dynamics that can help or hinder a project. That kind of information, if you can use what you see, makes you one savvy leader.

So, next time you’re in a meeting and thinking you’d rather be anywhere but here, an option is to get present instead.

Are people getting to know each other and building trust? And what are you noticing? Things like who speaks first, who takes control, who tries to take control and fails, who people defer to and who they ignore, where people choose to sit. All the non-verbal expressions and patterns of relating.

Assuming the players are at the table, you’ll learn who’s who in the zoo very quickly. Even who’s missing and the impact that has is revealing.

Plus, it makes for a much more enjoyable day.

Do you agree? Scroll down to leave your comment.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash​