Message #44482

[peana]

Things are pretty varied here, thank goodness!  Loads of meetings and minute taking, regular diary management for about a dozen of the team, working on our intranet, looking after our disaster recovery plan and making sure it's current, organising the internal PA group, making sure everyone in the team has met their deadlines, preparing presentations, etc.... I've even waited at bossie's flat to let in the plumber, organised trips to the theatre for him and his wife, and bought my own xmas pressie!  My newest task is to run daily customer satisfaction surveys to ensure 'the business' are happy with the service we (IT) deliver to them.  I don't often have time to get bored!

I agree with CG about meetings that don't achieve anything, but luckily my present company are pretty good at keeping to the point.  Bossie instigated a list of 'crimes' to keep meetings on track (offenders have a £2 fine which either goes to charity or to the xmas party).  It works pretty well - the following are all offences:
+ being late
+ phones ringing / vibrating
+ amnesia
+ war stories
+ personal attacks
+ scowling
+ lack of contribution
+ fiddling with electronic equipment
+ gender solidarity
+ hogging the strike
If there is no way you can get out of the meetings, maybe a similar system could help shorten them?