The WorkGroup

There’s always an Annoying Meeting Person who talks too much at meetings. What’s worse is meetings where there’s a few people who talk too much.

These people actually enjoy meetings at work. Nobody really enjoys meetings at work. They’re a means to an end. They’re tools for a group to get something done. Therefore, if the meeting is in itself a tool to get something done, the last thing the meeting needs is someone being a tool.

They’re typically the type of person that nobody listens to most of the time, and they’re pleased as hell to be included on a committee where people ostensibly want their input. They very well might have some valuable input, but only for about thirty seconds.

You’ll discover who these people are when the discussion on an issue wanes and there’s a moment of quiet that SHOULD signify that all productive discussion has come to an end. Just before the facilitator can lay down the proverbial gavel, into this vacuum jumps Annoying Meeting Person with JUST ONE MORE POINT.

At this point, the meeting attendees who understand that if their input isn’t important to the overall task at hand begin to roll their eyes and try not to stare daggers at Annoying Meeting Person. I’m a proud member of this group, and I wonder if other people’s thoughts are going to the same extremes mine are.

Would Stalin have killed him?

Maybe Stalin was right.

I wonder if he’d notice if I held my fingers up and pretended to squish his head between my fingers?

Can we put a trap door in this conference room?

Would she shut up if I “accidentally” spit my coffee all over her?
Meetings with more than one Annoying Meeting Person are sheer hell for the rest of us. That’s okay though. I have faith that there’s a special hell for people like this. They serve their eternal damnations at meetings where they know everything about the topic, and are stricken mute for all of time.