You need a way to get out of a meeting. You got sucked into it, but now it’s time to go. It happens. We all get stuck in meetings of which we would rather get out. You’re all sitting around a conference table. Your coworker is blabbing on about metrics that are not met. Your boss is bemoaning the back office. And the only place you would rather be is Somewhere Else. What is your exit strategy?
Here are 5 Better than Average Ways to Get Out of a Meeting
- Sickness – There’s nothing like the threat of a little vomit on the table to get you your freedom. No one wants to deal with the mess if you do hurl, so any time you put your hand over your mouth, grab your belongings, and hustle out of the room will give you an instant hall pass. Just remember to actually go into the bathroom and into a stall in case you have a concerned coworker. Chances are, no one will actually follow you, but if they do, they’ll usually stop at the door.
- Phone call – It’s really important. REALLY important. Like more important than your meeting. It’s a customer. Or the school. Those two will usually get you out of most situations. To make it look even better, grab a friend’s phone, call your number, announce quietly that it is a customer/school, grab your belongings and dash.
- Take charge – If the meeting is really going nowhere and (almost) everyone can see the obvious, recap quickly what was already discussed, ask if there is any further input for the good of the group, then announce adjournment. You’ll earn high-fives from coworkers and get your time back.
- Leave – This works particularly well at the half-hour and hour marks on the clock. You have another meeting that just “happens” to be scheduled at that time. As a courtesy, ask if there is anything else required of you before your take off. Remember to kindly announce that you can be reached after the meeting via email or phone if any additional items might arise.
- “Forget” Something – Conveniently “forget” something at your desk. Announce that you “forgot” a critical item for the meeting, excuse yourself, and “forget” to come back. When questioned later, explain that an urgent “something” (phone call/email/jammed copy machine) came up and had to be handled immediately. By the time you finished that task, the meeting had ended. Politely ask if any business for you arose during the meeting and if so, complete those items.
QUESTION FOR YOU –
Why are you still sitting there?
SOMETHING FOR YOU –
For the awesome first chapter of the forthcoming book Better than Average: Excelling in a Mediocre World, send an email to me and you score it for free!
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Todd Brockdorf
Better than Average Guy
Author, Speaker, Consultant
[email protected]
