I asked my network a simple question: what irks you most about a meeting?
The options were:
- A lack of preparation
- The uncomfortable silence when no one is prepared
- Moments when emotional intelligence takes a back seat
- A lack of follow-through and accountability afterward
A lack of preparation was the clear winner.
In a way, that is also about empathy. Showing up unprepared is a failure to understand and respect other people's time. Preparation is how you show the people across the table that their time matters.
Adapted from LinkedIn post on June 6, 2024.