What are meetings for?

In the world of business, meetings often get a bad rap; most people would rather do their jobs than talk about them. So what benefits do meetings actually have?

What are meetings for?

In the world of business, meetings often get a bad rap. Both the leadership and the employees within organizations tend to feel that meetings are a waste of time. They don't want to sit around and talk about work; they would rather just get back to the job. In a way, this makes sense. Business shouldn't be about talk; it should be about action.

So, are meetings really necessary? Is it even important to regroup and discuss what's happening in the company on a continual basis? Or should we just let things play out rather than squelching the momentum? Well, I think there are actually many great benefits to meetings that make them worth the time spent on them. But if there is one absolutely essential reason to have meetings, it is this: meetings provide an opportunity for you to measure your progress.

You can't know where you are going unless you know where you are at. A meeting, above all, is a chance to reassess the direction you are heading. Do your current activities align with your values? Is the current way you are doing things still pushing you in the direction of your goals? If you never stop to think whether or not your activities are still working, you may never get anywhere. If for no other reason than this, meetings still matter.