Meetings: How Not to Make Them a Waste of Time

The word meeting is heard in every company, office, or even during remote work these days. But what exactly does it mean? In this article, we’ll look at the different types of meetings, their purpose, common abbreviations and phrases, and how to plan and run them so it actually makes sense in the age of AI agents scattered work.

What is a meeting?

A meeting is an English word for a gathering, discussion, or appointment. It can be held in person, online (e.g., via Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams), or hybrid (some participants are physically in the room, others join online). Companies use various conference rooms, whether on their premises or in coworking spaces.

When does a meeting make sense?

• When a faster decision is needed.
• When you need to align multiple people at once.
• When email or Slack just isn’t enough.
• When you need to brainstorm.

On the other hand, if the matter can be resolved with a quick message or email – do it. Don’t meet just for the sake of it. 🙂 You’ll save time.

Meetings are powerful tools if they are well-prepared, structured, and meaningful. Otherwise, they can become a black hole for your time. So next time, ask yourself: Does this really need to be a meeting?

Types of Meetings and What They’re For

There are many kinds of meetings, each serving a different purpose. Here are the most common ones:

Tips for Planning

It is not just “let’s get together and see what happens.” Meeting planning is a discipline. If we want to move things forward, we need to follow a few rules.

An effective meeting:

• Has a designated owner – Who’s leading it? What’s the topic? Who’s taking notes?
• Has a clear schedule or plan.
• Uses the right platform (e.g., meeting room, Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, or another online meeting tool).
• Has a clear goal and agenda, shared in advance.
• Includes only the necessary participants (invite only those truly needed).
• Generates notes (try to use AI agents with real-time transcription) or recording (but record only with participant consent).

Beofre the meeting, prepare yourself properly – noone likes to wait for the host to learn how to turn on screen sharing during a conference call. Also doublecheck participant settings, so your colleagues dont have to wait in the lobby. Don’t forget to send out the summary right after it ends so that everyone knows what needs to be done next—and by when.

Meeting Etiquette and Ground Rules

A few simple principles can keep your online meetings effective and focused:

• Stay focused – Don’t write in Slack or check emails. Others will notice, and scattered work disrupts the meeting.
• Camera on – Yes, it can be uncomfortable. But video feed improves communication, facial expressions, and engagement. Video quality might also be important for some of your clients so investment into a camera that gives you studio look might be worth it.
• No background noise – Dogs, drills, or radios? Best avoided. Use headphones and mute your mic when you’re not speaking.
• Start on time – Every minute counts. Wait a few minutes for others, then begin. Especially if you hold a global meeting with many participants.
• Dress appropriately – If working from home and on video, don’t show up in pyjamas or without proper clothing. You never know when you might need to stand up during a surprise moment. 🙂

Online Meeting Practical Example: How to Create a Zoom or Google Meet Invite

Zoom:

1. Log in to Zoom.us.
2. Click “Schedule a Meeting.”
3. Enter the title, time, and date.
4. Send the invite link to participants. Or give them the meeting ID.

Google Meet:

1. Open Google Calendar.
2. Click “Create.”
3. Add a “Google Meet video call.”
4. Invite meeting participants with invite link and add an agenda. Done.

Likewise you can also plan and join in other apps as Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex and many more online meeting platforms. Especially if you collaborate externally a lot, you will encounter email invites from different meeting services.

Conclusion

Not every problem needs a meeting. Sometimes a quick email, comment in Figma, JIRA or message in chat is enough. Video messages are also someting you might give a try. But when a meeting is necessary, let’s do it properly: brief, focused, and respectful of everyone’s time. The ability to hold a concise meeting is among the most important job skills.

A good meeting can be a powerful tool.
A bad one? Just a wasted hour with no follow-up.