The Prehistoric Meeting Culture
19-02-2025
The Prehistoric Meeting Culture: Time for a Change
Have you ever felt like you're bouncing from one meeting to the next without actually achieving anything? And in between, we are overwhelmed with courses full of outdated information, like the infamous "reptilian brain." This myth and other outdated theories are still being taught, despite being debunked by modern neurological research. And let's be honest, we often pay a lot of money for these useless lessons.
Outdated Courses and Their Drawbacks
Take, for example, the concept of the 'reptilian brain.' This idea is long outdated, yet it continues to circulate in courses. The notion that our brain consists of a primitive, instinctive layer is incorrect, as all brain areas work together. Modern neuroscience shows that emotions, instincts, and rational thinking are not strictly separated but influence each other. Or what about a course where Freud is mentioned? Contemporary scientists often dismiss him as an illusionist or even a quack. His theories, such as the idea that boys are unconsciously attracted to their mothers and girls to their fathers, lack scientific evidence and are largely considered outdated. When I attend a course and pay a hefty price, I expect modern, evidence-based knowledge—not outdated speculations that have long been relegated to the realm of myths.
While our agendas are filled with courses packed with outdated information on one hand, we are immediately sent to hours-long meetings on the other. Who becomes productive, constructive, or innovative from that?
Meetings vs. Pizza Sessions
An effective meeting should be tight and orderly, much like a court session. The clerk records all important points, from participants and decisions to procedural details. This report becomes an official document that can be referenced later.
Want to brainstorm freely? Organize a pizza session. Informal and without a set structure, so ideas can flow freely while enjoying a snack. Meetings, on the other hand, should be structured: with a set agenda, clear discussion points, information exchange, decision-making, and action items. And of course, you eat before or after the meeting, not during.
Attending meetings is pointless if you have nothing to add. Elon Musk even advises leaving a meeting if you realize you're not contributing. How often do we see meetings devolve into unorganized discussions?
And what does this mean for the note taker? Or for the person who has to transcribe a recording filled with the rustling of candy wrappers and people talking over each other? In a court session, participants typically speak into a microphone: clear, orderly, and concise.
Cognitive Burden of Long Meetings
In 2016, Arbo published an article stating that employees are distracted on average every 11 minutes. This means the average employee can only concentrate for 11 minutes before being interrupted. Apply this to meetings of two hours or longer, and the consequences are clear:
Cognitive Load: Mental energy decreases as a meeting drags on.
Loss of Focus: The attention span during passive listening is often shorter than during active work.
Multitasking & Distraction: Many participants check their phone or laptop and are simultaneously engaged in other tasks, such as answering emails.
If people can only concentrate for 11 uninterrupted minutes, it's unrealistic to expect them to stay sharp for a two-hour meeting. Therefore, an effective meeting should last no longer than 45-60 minutes.
Focus Groups
It's obvious that you want all participants to be qualified. Objectivity is essential: decisions are made based on facts and statistics, without emotional or political biases. An integrity-driven organization has no hidden agenda and keeps nothing under the table.
For topics that elicit emotions, a focus group can be helpful. There are two types of focus groups: serious and pseudo-participation groups. A good example of the latter is a municipality that sets up a focus group about the temporary housing of asylum seekers, where residents are allowed to have their say. But you and I know that it ultimately makes little difference; that housing will happen anyway.
A well-functioning focus group, on the other hand, is an effective tool for discussing and structuring complex topics outside of regular meetings.
How to Avoid a Prehistoric Meeting Culture?
Open and direct communication.
Not holding meetings for the sake of having meetings.
Critically examining the agenda to determine if a topic is better suited for a pizza session or focus group.
Being selective with participants.
Using modern transcription technology.
Everything can be faster and more efficient. Let's move with the times because those who don't keep up with the times, get left behind by time.