5 Distractions That Derail Meetings — And How To Avoid Them

Meetings are bad enough. Introduce anything that can derail meetings, and they can be torturous.

How can we be so sure? One researcher found that only about 50% of the time spent in meetings is productive. Another researcher found that meeting length and frequency have increased incredibly over the past half-century. In the 1960s, top leaders spent about 10 hours a week in meetings. Today, some leaders — like those of us in Finance — can be in them as much as 23 hours a week!

Why so many and so long? Because a lot of meetings go off track. And one derailment can lead to many more frustrations.

Derail Meetings in Person & Online

Whether employees walk out a door or turn off a Zoom camera, they go away frustrated and likely spread bad meeting karma around them, impacting morale and productivity.

Now, imagine if you can reel in meeting distractions, keep everyone on track and get them out the door and productive: No one would complain they hate meetings.

Here are five top distractions that derail meetings and how to avoid each:

No. 1: The Meeting Itself

The number of meetings scheduled in the Teams app had increased by 192% in the three years post-COVID-19, according to data collected by Microsoft. What’s more, employees say inefficient meetings are the biggest time-waster and productivity-destroyer in their workday.

More specifically, employees in the survey said it’s difficult to:

• Brainstorm in virtual meetings (58%)
• Catch up if they joined late (57%)
• Decipher the next steps at the end of a meeting (55%), and
• Summarize what happened (56%). 

The cure: Assess the need for every single meeting. If you can accomplish the goal with an email, scratch the meeting and let people work.

No. 2: Gravity Issues

Gravity is a force of nature that keeps us grounded. It can do the same to a meeting — make it stick and not move forward.

“These occur when your team discusses unsolvable issues — debating unsolvable issues at the team level instead of focusing on the issues at hand,” says Luis Velasquez in a post about his work in the Harvard Business Review.

Problem is, most meetings have a “solution” element. But they lack an “authority” element. Teams — or just one or two members — spend time talking about solutions they don’t have the authority to implement.

The cure: Before your group spends time focusing on solutions, do an authority analysis. Determine if your theoretical solution could be implemented without talking with the group or jumping through hoops.

No. 3: Assumption Overload

You know what they say about assumptions — They make an ass of u & me. They’re also at the heart of derailed meetings.

“Team members jump to conclusions without proper context,” says Velasquez.

You might start to make excessive or unverified assumptions about a specific issue, background, expectation or even team members. Some assumptions are necessary, but you can’t rely on them without validation to make decisions.

The cure: As a leader, keep an eye and ear out for too many unknowns filled in with assumptions. When you hear dozens of “if” and/or “maybe,” call the meeting. Determine who will dig up facts and certainties before you meet efficiently next time.

No. 4: Annoying Negativity

Nearly every group has a Debbie or Dougie Downer. They point out negatives or potential fails, then pull others down the rabbit hole with them.

“Emotional reactions lead to generalizations and catastrophizing — predicting doom and gloom when a new change is introduced,” says Velasquez.

Truly negative people and ideas often have a controlling power over positive people and change management.

The cure: Let people establish their camps. But don’t let them pitch tents in your meetings. Explain that you’ll discuss and vote on solutions in meetings when change is inevitable. They can voice opinions ahead of time in written communication — and you’ll address concerns that way.

No. 5: Squirrel Chasing

Some people can’t stay focused, and they “chase squirrels,” bringing up something that might be relevant to the team’s ongoing work, but unrelated to the meeting’s focus.

“Tangents are set, and your team follows, losing focus on the main objective,” says Velasquez. “For instance, a side conversation about lunch options derails the meeting agenda.”

The cure: Revisit or reframe the meeting objective. When you sense you’re about to derail, say, “Let’s revisit this meeting’s objective. As we agreed, it is …. Does this conversation move us closer to the goal?”