Managers in many corporate organisations still think that they have to have that weekly meeting. Most of the time it has no purpose and just p#$#ss off clients who are inconvenienced by not getting the service they require.

Often the message can be conveyed in 5-10 minutes, but the meetings drag on and on...

I also get frustrated when I'm looking for someone and have to hear that they are "in a meeting". A secretary or PA should rather say that her manager is consulting with clients or is out of the office and then offer to take a message.

Maybe my gripe comes from my early days in banking when a group of managers used to play cards at lunch time. They got so engrossed in their game that it sometimes continued well into the afternoon. Like the extended lunches.