[abc123abc123]

This is the way! I run a remote only company, and when the game is on, one meeting per week, 30-60 minutes (at most!) is essential!

However... there has to be an agenda, the agenda needs to be followed, and meeting monopolizers need to be cut short. (americans are very good at expanding meeting participation and to take up all the time, care needs to be taken with them. This is cultural, they love to talk.)

That's about all that is necessary. Then individual syncs can be done per email the rest of the week, or phone in case of emergencies.

[ttoinou]

I also run an online company but I dont like meetings it is always re hashing things already shared and written before. But it seems like a lot of humans absolutely need meeting to properly collaborate. Why ?

[andrewflnr]

Among other factors, lots of people don't read "things already shared and written before". Like, ever.

[ttoinou]

Someone in the meeting has to do this though ? for the meeting to be useful

[andrewflnr]

Someone does, I guess. Whoever writes it hopefully read it at least once, though that's not guaranteed these days. Most other people would rather do anything else, so if they can possibly get away with just hearing it, they will. Reading and comprehending is much harder work.

[ttoinou]

I have the same experience. Literally no one wants to read anything, they will always try to minimize the work done and pretend they've read. And when they've read, they weren't focused and the information isn't used for the project. I have no idea what to do here

[andrewflnr]

I don't know. Weep for the folly of our species? But you have part of your answer about why meetings rehash things. (I assume that's not the only factor.)

[philipallstar]

I agree (except about Americans) but would add that the agenda should be published up front, e.g. in the meeting invitation.

[adrian_b]

I strongly agree that the agenda must be published upfront.

Moreover, when something more substantial must be discussed, e.g. the accomplishment of some project milestone, or a work plan or a proposal for new features or for a new project, a document should be prepared and sent in advance to the participants with the description of the obtained results or of a plan or of a proposal, enabling them to prepare suggestions for improvements or for alternatives, or criticism.

Nonetheless, I may agree with what the previous poster said about Americans and conciseness in meetings (i.e. the lack of thereof).