Meetings: The Corporate Bane

This editorial analysis helps you understand Parts of Speech (Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Adverb, Preposition, Conjunction, Article), Tenses (Present, Past, Future, Perfect, Continuous), Infinitives, Gerunds, and Participles through practical examples.

Most (Det) organisations (Noun) private (Adj) or (Conj) public (Adj) thrive (Main Verb – Present) on (Prep) meetings (Noun) . (Article) Announced (Participle) at (Prep) the (Article) drop (Noun) of (Prep) a (Article) hat (Noun) , (Conj) before (Pronoun) you (Main Verb – Present) know (Pronoun) it (Noun) , (Conj) people (Main Verb – Present) congregate (Prep) in (Noun) conference (Noun) halls (Conj) and (Noun) auditoriums (Article) . Of (Prep) course (Adv) , (Conj) there (Main Verb – Present) are (Participle) planned (Noun) meetings (Prep) with (Gerund) differing (Noun) schedules (Conj) that (Modal Verb) could (Main Verb) ruin (Pronoun) your (Noun) weekends (Prep) with (Adj) sleepless (Noun) hours (Adv) likely (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) take (Article) a (Noun) toll (Prep) on (Pronoun) your (Noun) peace (Prep) of (Noun) mind (Article) . You (Main Verb – Present) are (Present Passive) expected (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) be (Adj) battle-ready (Prep) with (Det) all (Pronoun) your (Noun) notes (Conj) and (Prep) with (Noun) answers (Prep) to (Adj) ominous (Noun) questions (Prep) on (Pronoun) your (Noun) fingertips (Article) . At (Prep) these (Det) meetings (Adj) , (Conj) tortuous (Noun) deadlines (Main Verb – Present) are (Participle) pronounced (Prep) with (Article) a (Adj) grim (Adj) non-negotiable (Noun) finality (Conj) that (Main Verb – Past) stalked (Pronoun) you (Adv) wherever (Pronoun) you (Main Verb – Past) went (Main Verb) , (Conj) be (Pronoun) it (Article) the (Noun) lunch (Noun) room (Noun) , (Conj) recreation (Noun) room (Noun) , (Conj) wash (Noun) room (Conj) or (Noun) library (Article) . Our (Pronoun) lives (Main Verb – Present) are (Participle) measured (Adv) out (Prep) in (Adj) endless (Noun) meetings (Adj) , (Conj) interminable (Noun) reviews (Conj) and (Adj) tired (Noun) justifications (Prep) of (Noun) status (Noun) quo (Article) . When (Pronoun) we (Main Verb – Past) joined (Noun) corporates (Prep) for (Article) the (Adj) comfortable (Noun) careers (Pronoun) we (Main Verb – Past) dreamt (Prep) of (Conj) and (Main Verb – Past) coveted (Article) the (Noun) corner (Noun) room (Prep) in (Article) the (Adj) distant (Noun) future (Pronoun) , (Conj) we (Main Verb – Past) did (Adv) not (Main Verb – Past) bargain (Prep) for (Article) the (Noun) number (Prep) of (Noun) meetings (Pronoun) we (Main Verb – Past Perfect) had (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) attend (Article) , (Conj) the (Adj) mandatory (Noun) ones (Conj) that (Main Verb – Past) arrived (Prep) on (Noun) date (Pronoun) , (Conj) those (Participle) called (Noun) performance (Noun) reviews (Noun) , (Conj) budget (Noun) meetings (Conj) where (Noun) budgets (Main Verb – Past Passive) were (Participle) imposed (Prep) on (Article) the (Adj) hapless (Noun) workforce (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) achieve (Article) the (Adj) corporate (Noun) targets (Conj) or (Adj) corporate (Noun) policies (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) be (Participle) implemented (Article) . Meetings (Adv) sometimes (Main Verb – Past) degenera (Main Verb – Past) ted (Prep) into (Adj) desultory (Noun) affairs (Adv) far (Prep) from (Gerund) being (Adj) meaningful (Prep) without (Article) a (Adj) clear (Noun) agenda (Adj) , (Conj) endless (Noun) discussions (Conj) that (Main Verb – Past) did (Adv) not (Main Verb – Past) resolve (Prep) into (Det) any (Adj) concrete (Noun) decisions (Article) . A (Article) group (Noun) of (Noun) people (Conj) who (Main Verb – Present) talk (Prep) for (Noun) hours (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) produce (Article) a (Noun) result (Participle) called (Noun) minutes (Article) . However (Adv) not (Det) all (Noun) meetings (Main Verb – Past) were (Adj) purposeless (Article) ; (Adv) there (Main Verb – Past) were (Pronoun) those (Conj) that (Main Verb – Past) set (Adj) clear (Noun) guidelines (Conj) and (Noun) schedules (Conj) , (Conj) where (Noun) debate (Conj) and (Noun) discussion (Main Verb – Past) took (Noun) place (Prep) with (Noun) heat (Conj) and (Noun) light (Conj) , (Conj) where (Adj) genuine (Noun) performers (Main Verb – Past Passive) were (Participle) appreciated (Conj) and (Noun) under-performers (Main Verb – Past Passive) were (Participle) encouraged (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) give (Article) a (Adj) better (Noun) account (Prep) of (Pronoun) themselves (Conj) , (Conj) and (Noun) non-performers (Main Verb – Past Passive) were (Adv) gently (Participle) reprimanded (Conj) or (Participle) cautioned (Conj) so (Conj) that (Conj) it (Pronoun) struck (Main Verb – Past) home (Noun) and (Conj) they (Pronoun) almost (Adv) always (Adv) performed (Main Verb – Past) much (Adv) better (Adj) . The (Article) powers (Conj) that (Main Verb – Past) be (Conj) who (Main Verb – Past) presided (Prep) over (Det) those (Noun) meetings (Main Verb – Past) were (Article) a (Adj) motley (Noun) lot (Pronoun) , (Conj) those (Prep) with (Noun) empathy (Conj) who (Modal Verb) could (Main Verb) tell (Pronoun) us (Conj) where (Pronoun) we (Main Verb – Past) went (Adv) wrong (Conj) and (Main Verb) improve (Conj) and (Pronoun) those (Conj) who (Main Verb – Past) were (Adj) unforgiving (Conj) and (Main Verb – Past) demolished (Pronoun) us (Prep) with (Article) a (Noun) word (Article) . One (Conj) or (Noun) two (Adv) even (Main Verb – Past) had (Article) a (Adj) literary (Noun) flair (Conj) and (Modal Verb) would (Main Verb) quote (Prep) with (Noun) aplomb (Article) . When (Article) a (Noun) colleague (Main Verb – Past) demurred (Conj) and (Main Verb – Past) doubted (Pronoun) his (Noun) capabilities (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) handle (Article) a (Adj) particular (Noun) project (Pronoun) he (Main Verb – Past) was (Main Verb – Past) told (Prep) in (Det) no (Adj) uncertain (Noun) terms (Article) : (Pronoun) “You (Modal Verb) can (Main Verb) do (Pronoun) it (Article) .” (Pronoun) Our (Noun) doubts (Main Verb – Present) are (Pronoun) our (Noun) traitors (Article) . A (Article) less (Adj) sympathetic (Noun) boss (Adv) once (Main Verb – Past) remarked (Prep) with (Article) a (Noun) smirk (Article) , (Noun) “Hell (Main Verb – Present) hath (Det) no (Noun) fury (Prep) like (Article) a (Noun) boss (Participle) enraged (Article) .” (Conj) While (Pronoun) we (Main Verb – Past) resented (Noun) meetings (Prep) for (Gerund) eating (Prep) into (Pronoun) our (Adj) productive (Noun) work (Noun) time (Article) , (Conj) we (Adv) also (Main Verb – Past) saw (Pronoun) them (Prep) as (Article) a (Noun) meeting (Noun) place (Prep) for (Det) all (Prep) of (Pronoun) us (Conj) who (Adv) though (Participle) working (Prep) in (Adj) adjoining (Noun) rooms (Main Verb – Past) had (Adv) rarely (Noun) time (Infinitive) to (Main Verb) meet (Prep) except (Prep) of (Noun) course (Prep) for (Article) the (Adj) brief (Noun) water (Noun) cooler (Conj) or (Noun) coffee (Noun) machine (Noun) moments (Article) . There (Adv) were (Adv) also (Noun) welcome (Conj) and (Noun) farewell (Noun) gatherings (Conj) that (Main Verb – Past) were (Adj) lighter (Conj) and (Adj) happier (Noun) occasions (Conj) and (Article) the (Adj) sad (Noun) condolence (Noun) meetings (Prep) for (Adj) well-loved (Participle) departed (Noun) colleagues (Article) . As (Noun) time (Main Verb – Past) passed (Conj) and (Prep) on (Pronoun) our (Noun) way (Prep) up (Article) the (Adj) corporate (Noun) ladder (Pronoun) , (Conj) we (Adv) too (Main Verb – Past) presided (Prep) over (Noun) meetings (Main Verb – Past) , (Conj) fielded (Noun) questions (Main Verb – Past) , (Conj) set (Noun) deadlines (Conj) and (Main Verb – Past) wondered (Conj) what (Pronoun) our (Adj) junior (Noun) colleagues (Main Verb – Past) thought (Prep) of (Pronoun) us (Article) . Before (Adv) long (Noun) time (Main Verb – Past) caught (Adv) up (Adv) further (Prep) with (Pronoun) us (Article) , (Conj) we (Main Verb – Past) hung (Prep) up (Pronoun) our (Noun) boots (Conj) and (Conj) when (Noun) memory (Main Verb – Present) rustles (Adv) once (Prep) in (Article) a (Noun) while (Pronoun) we (Main Verb – Present) are (Adv) back (Prep) in (Article) the (Noun) board (Noun) room (Conj) or (Noun) auditorium (Gerund) hearing (Adj) sonorous (Noun) voices (Prep) of (Adj) old (Noun) times (Article) , (Adv) sometimes (Adj) severe (Article) , (Adv) sometimes (Adj) judgmental (Article) , (Adv) sometimes (Adj) kind (Adv) sometimes (Adj) appreciative (Conj) and (Pronoun) our (Adj) own (Noun) voices (Adv) too (Article) . Nothing (Modal Verb) will (Main Verb) bring (Adv) back (Det) those (Noun) days (Prep) of (Noun) bonhomie (Conj) and (Adj) happy (Noun) camaraderie (Article) .

Sentence-by-Sentence Summary (Easy Learning Format)

Each sentence from the article is presented below with its simple summary in brackets for easy understanding:

• Most organisations, private or public, thrive on meetings. Announced at the drop of a hat, before you know it, people congregate in conference halls and auditoriums (Summary: Corporate meetings are spontaneous and draw people from all departments.)
• Of course, there are planned meetings with differing schedules that could ruin your weekends with sleepless hours likely to take a toll on your peace of mind (Summary: Scheduled meetings can disrupt personal life and cause stress.)
• You are expected to be battle-ready with all your notes and with answers to ominous questions on your fingertips (Summary: Employees must be fully prepared for unexpected questions in meetings.)
• At these meetings, tortuous deadlines are pronounced with a grim non-negotiable finality that stalked you wherever you went, be it the lunch room, recreation room, wash room or library (Summary: Deadlines announced in meetings create pressure that follows you everywhere.)
• Our lives are measured out in endless meetings, interminable reviews and tired justifications of status quo (Summary: Corporate life revolves around endless meetings and routine reports.)
• When we joined corporates for the comfortable careers we dreamt of and coveted the corner room in the distant future, we did not bargain for the number of meetings we had to attend (Summary: Young professionals underestimate the meeting load in corporate careers.)
• The mandatory ones that arrived on date, those called performance reviews, budget meetings where budgets were imposed on the hapless workforce to achieve the corporate targets or corporate policies to be implemented (Summary: Various mandatory meetings impose targets and policies on employees.)
• Meetings sometimes degenerated into desultory affairs far from being meaningful without a clear agenda, endless discussions that did not resolve into any concrete decisions (Summary: Poorly planned meetings waste time without achieving results.)
• A group of people who talk for hours to produce a result called minutes (Summary: Meetings often produce only written records without real outcomes.)
• However not all meetings were purposeless; there were those that set clear guidelines and schedules, where debate and discussion took place with heat and light (Summary: Some productive meetings encourage healthy debate and clear planning.)
• Where genuine performers were appreciated and under-performers were encouraged to give a better account of themselves, and non-performers were gently reprimanded or cautioned so that it struck home and they almost always performed much better (Summary: Effective meetings provide recognition and constructive feedback.)
• The powers that be who presided over those meetings were a motley lot, those with empathy who could tell us where we went wrong and improve and those who were unforgiving and demolished us with a word (Summary: Leaders have different management styles, from supportive to harsh.)
• One or two even had a literary flair and would quote with aplomb (Summary: Some managers use quotes and literary references to motivate.)
• When a colleague demurred and doubted his capabilities to handle a particular project he was told in no uncertain terms: “You can do it.” (Summary: Supportive bosses boost confidence with simple encouragement.)
• Our doubts are our traitors (Summary: Self-doubt undermines our potential and success.)
• A less sympathetic boss once remarked with a smirk, “Hell hath no fury like a boss enraged.” (Summary: Harsh bosses use intimidating quotes to assert authority.)
• While we resented meetings for eating into our productive work time, we also saw them as a meeting place for all of us who though working in adjoining rooms had rarely time to meet except of course for the brief water cooler or coffee machine moments (Summary: Despite complaints, meetings provide social interaction among colleagues.)
• There were also welcome and farewell gatherings that were lighter and happier occasions and the sad condolence meetings for well-loved departed colleagues (Summary: Special meetings mark important transitions and losses.)
• As time passed and on our way up the corporate ladder we too presided over meetings, fielded questions, set deadlines and wondered what our junior colleagues thought of us (Summary: Career progression means becoming a meeting leader yourself.)
• Before long time caught up further with us, we hung up our boots and when memory rustles once in a while we are back in the board room or auditorium hearing sonorous voices of old times (Summary: Retirement brings nostalgic memories of past workplace interactions.)
• Sometimes severe, sometimes judgmental, sometimes kind sometimes appreciative and our own voices too (Summary: Memories include diverse leadership styles and personal experiences.)
• Nothing will bring back those days of bonhomie and happy camaraderie (Summary: The warmth of workplace friendships is irreplaceable after retirement.)

Vocabulary with Meanings and Synonyms (Difficult & Moderate Words)

1. Thrive – To grow or develop well; to prosper (पनपना, फलना-फूलना)
   Synonyms: Flourish, prosper, blossom, succeed
2. Congregate – To come together in a group (इकट्ठा होना)
   Synonyms: Assemble, gather, collect, convene
3. Ominous – Giving the impression that something bad is going to happen (अशुभ, अबोधगम्य)
   Synonyms: Threatening, foreboding, inauspicious, portentous
4. Tortuous – Long and complicated and difficult (टेढ़ा-मेढ़ा, जटिल)
   Synonyms: Winding, convoluted, complex, intricate
5. Non-negotiable – Cannot be changed or discussed (अपरिवर्तनीय)
   Synonyms: Fixed, unchangeable, firm, binding
6. Finality – The quality or condition of being final (अंतिमता)
   Synonyms: Completeness, conclusiveness, irrevocability
7. Interminable – Endless or apparently endless (अंतहीन)
   Synonyms: Never-ending, endless, limitless, ceaseless
8. Justifications – Reasons or explanations that make something acceptable (औचित्य)
   Synonyms: Rationale, defenses, explanations, reasons
9. Status quo – The existing state of affairs (वर्तमान स्थिति)
   Synonyms: Current state, existing condition, present situation
10. Coveted – Desired or wanted by many people (इच्छित, लालची)
    Synonyms: Desired, sought-after, prized, yearned
11. Bargain – To expect or plan on (अनुमान लगाना)
    Synonyms: Expect, anticipate, reckon, calculate
12. Hapless – Unfortunate (बदकिस्मत)
    Synonyms: Unfortunate, unlucky, ill-fated, wretched
13. Degenerated – Became worse or less good (खराब होना)
    Synonyms: Deteriorated, declined, worsened, degraded
14. Desultory – Lacking a plan or purpose (बिना योजना के)
    Synonyms: Aimless, random, haphazard, disconnected
15. Agenda – A list of items to be discussed (कार्यसूची)
    Synonyms: Schedule, plan, program, timetable
16. Concrete – Definite and clear (ठोस, निश्चित)
    Synonyms: Definite, specific, tangible, actual
17. Motley – Diverse in appearance (मिश्रित, विविध)
    Synonyms: Diverse, varied, mixed, assorted
18. Empathy – Ability to understand others’ feelings (सहानुभूति)
    Synonyms: Compassion, understanding, sympathy, sensitivity
19. Unforgiving – Not willing to forgive (निर्दय)
    Synonyms: Relentless, merciless, harsh, stern
20. Demolished – Destroyed completely (तबाह करना)
    Synonyms: Destroyed, ruined, crushed, shattered
21. Flair – A natural talent or instinct (प्रतिभा)
    Synonyms: Talent, gift, knack, ability
22. Aplomb – Confidence and composure (आत्मविश्वास)
    Synonyms: Confidence, poise, composure, self-assurance
23. Demurred – Expressed doubt or disagreement (आपत्ति उठाना)
    Synonyms: Objected, protested, disagreed, hesitating
24. Traitors – People who betray (विश्वासघाती)
    Synonyms: Betrayers, deserters, double-crossers
25. Smirk – Smile in an annoying way (अकड़ दिखाती मुस्कान)
    Synonyms: Smug smile, grin, sneer
26. Enraged – Very angry (उत्तेजित)
    Synonyms: Furious, angry, outraged, wrathful
27. Presided – Had authority or control (अध्यक्षता करना)
    Synonyms: Chaired, led, headed, governed
28. Adjoining – Next to or joining something (पास में, मिला हुआ)
    Synonyms: Adjacent, neighboring, connected, attached
29. Camaraderie – Mutual trust and friendship (मित्रता)
    Synonyms: Fellowship, friendship, companionship, bonhomie
30. Sonorous – Having a pleasant deep sound (मधुर गहरी आवाज़)
    Synonyms: Resonant, deep, rich, melodious

Cloze Test (Fill in the Blanks – Bank Exam Level)

Read the paragraph below and fill in the blanks with the most appropriate option from the given choices (A-E). This test is designed for competitive bank exams with challenging vocabulary and idiom-based questions:

1. Q1. Which word best fits Blank (1)?
   A) thrive
   B) survive
   C) strive
   D) derive
   E) contrive
   
   Answer: ________
2. Q2. Which word best fits Blank (2)?
   A) toll
   B) role
   C) soul
   D) roll
   E) poll
   
   Answer: ________
3. Q3. Which word best fits Blank (3)?
   A) ominous
   B) obvious
   C) anonymous
   D) odious
   E) onerous
   
   Answer: ________
4. Q4. Which word best fits Blank (4)?
   A) tortuous
   B) vigorous
   C) erroneous
   D) generous
   E) victorious
   
   Answer: ________
5. Q5. Which word best fits Blank (5)?
   A) interminable
   B) internal
   C) internet
   D) interpret
   E) intermix
   
   Answer: ________
6. Q6. Which word best fits Blank (6)?
   A) bargain
   B) argue
   C) warrant
   D) target
   E) pretend
   
   Answer: ________
7. Q7. Which word best fits Blank (7)?
   A) desultory
   B) sedentary
   C) elementary
   D) rudimentary
   E) complimentary
   
   Answer: ________
8. Q8. Which word best fits Blank (8)?
   A) motley
   B) mortal
   C) motive
   D) motto
   E) month
   
   Answer: ________
9. Q9. Which word best fits Blank (9)?
   A) unforgiving
   B) unfeeling
   C) unthinking
   D) unlucky
   E) unending
   
   Answer: ________
10. Q10. Which word best fits Blank (10)?
    A) bonhomie
    B) tragedy
    C) comedy
    D) parody
    E) satire
    
    Answer: ________

Answer Key

1. Q1: A) thrive
2. Q2: A) toll
3. Q3: A) ominous
4. Q4: A) tortuous
5. Q5: A) interminable
6. Q6: A) bargain
7. Q7: A) desultory
8. Q8: A) motley
9. Q9: A) unforgiving
10. Q10: A) bonhomie