RETA Breeze July-Aug 2024

SERVICE

The Shade Tree Mechanic volume LVI — Be on the “Teams”

I don’t care what you call it: Teams, Zoom, Zimo, Webex, Bob’s online, or any other darn electronic meetin’ places. But if your gonna be on the Teams’, then be on the Teams’. We didn’t have them electronic meetings back in my day. We showed up to meetings and sat there listening. If we didn’t we got our behinds chewed. You know why people like them things? I do It’s easier to sleep than in in-person meetins’. If it’s not sleepin’ then it’s doing other things. Heck I’m writin this while I’m on a Teams Meetin’. I’m not alone, I bet 50% of the people in this meeting is doin something else right now. Hopefully it’s work related, but I’m sure people are checking their NASCAR fantasy team. Some are probably working their side hustle on Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Some are probably live streaming today’s big game, Some may be watchin Judge Judy. Heck some may be reading a comic book, or on another call. And yes, at least one is writin a Breeze article for that damn Sanderson guy. I know we talk about how much time we save. But do we? How much are we missing because of being distracted? It must be a lot. How

many times do you wait till the meet- ing notes come out to figure out what happened. How many times are you muted and began talking only to find no one can hear you. Then you get unmuted and stop the meeting to go back to provide input. Hey at least your participating. How many times do you ask someone a question and get no answer? You call their name 4-5 times and then give up. If you’all really want to have some fun. Stay on at the end of the meeting and see how long it takes for everyone to drop off the meeting. I do this on occasion, I had someone stay on all night. I’m figurin they left the office during the meeting and left their computer logged into the meeting. He probably noted when he got back to the office the next morning. How much did he get from the meeting? Have you ever logged into a meeting on your phone and a different meeting on your laptop, only to find that 3-4 people are doing the same thing? I’m guessing your not going to be the best participant. Maybe some of this is our fault. Are we inviting people to the meeting that we want to have input? We don’t want anyone to feel left out so we invite everybody and their brother and their cousins, and Blind

Bill from outside the Sunoco station. Why?

Are we scheduling meetings that would better be emails. Of course, if people don’t read their emails, it doesn’t do any good. Are we taking steps to make sure the people in the meeting are engaged. I do something really annoying; I ask people questions throughout the meeting. They have gotten to the point that they expect it. They know I’m going to pause till they answer, even if I need to call their cell phones to see where they are. It’s embar rassing, That’s the point. If they pull this crap, they deserve to be called out. Afterall, others took time out of their day to attend the meeting.. Part of the problem is that the ease of scheduling these electronic meetings lends itself to more meetings. “Think before you schedule.” I think that would make a great T-shirt or screen saver. Oops gotta go someone in the meetin’ just called my name. I wonder what we’re discussin? The shade tree grows outside of the little town of Broughton, Ohio. Where everyone is always welcome, the beer is always cold, and something is always needin fixin.

RETA.com 17