Depends also if they include you so they don’t make dumb decisions. If they are capable of doing stuff on their own great. If they are habitually doing shit without asking you even just a question (and make every little thing into a meeting which is about just managing their decision making) it’s kind of always mandatory just to be there to save them from themselves and from taking decisions away from you.

I don’t know why it’s so hard to say ‘hey can we just grab you for a moment’ instead of and either or hour long meeting making you sit through it just to get to you about something either mildly so unimportant you didnt need you or they destroy the project

Talk to your manager.

Shortly after I was hired, my manager told me I should feel free to decline any meeting that didn't seem useful, or that if it was preventing me from getting "real" work done.

do you need my presence here

I usually join the meeting and start asking a lots of questions and clarifications because I don't know what the stuff is about. After that, the amount of useless meeting requests drops like a rock.

you want me on the call, I'm there.

don't complain when I don't deliver on goals though.

What do I need prepare for my contribution in this meeting? Nothing. Ok I'll watch the recoding.

Yeah be sure to say you won’t be a value-add. That’s a great way to not get laid off.

If you don’t know what’s going on, but they make you go to the meeting, just go to the meeting and stfu.

If you do know what’s going on, and they make you go to the meeting, and it’s a bullshit meeting, then you can tell them to fuck off.

Something something avocado toast. Get off my lawn.

Or just preemptively reply with the second bit.