Stand ups and other useless meetings

Off the VPN

Are we the only ones sitting in way too many meetings or what? How’s any work supposed to be done if we’re chit-chatting away on daily stand-ups? In this episode of Off the VPN, Allison and Jasmine talk about the overload of unnecessary meetings in the tech world — sharing listener stories and exploring the countless red flags of inefficient workplace practices. Tune in for laughs, advice, and some much-needed reality checks on how we handle our time in the tech world. Spoilers: It could have been an email.

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Highlights:

• Three Stand-Ups in a Day: Can you imagine giving the same status update three times in a single day? Jasmine and Allison break down the absurdity of excessive meetings and discuss how to streamline communication for better productivity.
• Video On Debate: Should cameras be on or off during virtual meetings? A listener’s hot take sparks a conversation about remote work culture.
• Micromanagement Overload: Feeling micromanaged by endless check-ins? Jasmine and Allison share a story about a team lead who insists on multiple daily meetings and offers strategies to push back on inefficient management.

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Back from vacation!
(02:24) Today’s topic: Meetings – Why do we have so many?
(04:00) How to decide if a meeting is necessary
(08:33) “No customer will ever buy this feature!”
(10:05) Questioning product development decisions in meetings
(12:49) Being realistic with delivery dates
(14:24) Managing time conflicts in project work
(16:09) Should cameras be on in meetings?
(21:00) The story of too many stand-up meetings
(25:01) How to handle meeting overload and find balance
(29:59) Evaluating the ROI of long meetings
(31:08) Being conscious of time spent in meetings