Interesting research that is soon to be published indicates that even though many business professionals moan over attending meetings, they secretly enjoy them (Wall Street Journal columnist Jared Sandberg, March 11, 2008).  Approximately 69% of those surveyed believed the last meeting attended was "good" while only 16% thought they were "poor" or worse, according to Steven Rogelberg, a professor of industrial organizational psychology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Further, the research showed that of the 50% surveyed who said they compalined about meetings, more than 60% of the complainers admitted they did in fact enjoy meetings.  Some of the reasons given included: human contact, status, getting a boost from the energy generated, and loving to talk and be heard.

"The drive for social connection is very strong," added Nicholas Epley, an assistant professor of behavioral science at the University of chicago's graduate  school of business.  Sitting in a cubicle is "stupedfying" and isolating, only intensifying a social need, he added.

These findings create an interesting issue.  Does the physical layouts of today's offices, and the typical workflows and indepenedent efforts in most organization, work against productivity and high levels of delivered customer satisfaction by closing off workers from the very human contact necessary to achieve success?

To see if your meetings are productive, or simply a social gathering, review the action plans or results from the meetings held for the past six to eight months.  Was your organization's mission moved forward?

Our second book, Earning Success, examines these issues in depth.  It will be available in June 2008 through this web site before it is officially released to the marketplace.