Why You HATE Meetings (and How to Fix Them)

Meetings are meant to solve problems, make decisions, and share important updates. But sadly they rarely live up to those (seemingly low) expectations. And the reality is that most of them waste time, kill momentum, and drain energy.

The good news, is that if you're feeling like your calendar is too frequently held hostage by back-to-back calls, there are a few practical things you can do to take back control. 

Here’s how to make meetings work for you, not against you.

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Three Ways To Fix Your Meetings

1. Decide if you even need the meeting

Not all conversations require 12 people and a 30-minute slot.

Ask:

• Can this be solved in an email or quick chat?

• Is there a clear purpose?

• What’s the decision we’re trying to make?

If there’s no purpose, no decision, and no urgency, then cancel it (where possible) or flag your concerns with the host or key attendees.

2. Cut the time in half

Far too many meetings expand to fill the time you give them, meaning that if you allocate an hour to a call, you'll often end up with 45 minutes of fluff and 15 minutes critical discussion. 

Try booking 15 minutes instead of 30, or 30 instead of an hour - you’ll get to the point faster, and everyone will thank you. It also helps to set an agenda in advance and stick to it. If the meeting finishes early, end it.

 
3. Leave with action, not confusion

Too many meetings end with “great chat” and no next step.
Before you wrap up:

• Confirm decisions made

• Assign owners to tasks

• Set deadlines for follow-up

If you leave without clarity, the meeting will just lead to another meeting, so make sure everyone is clear about next steps and make sure someone (potentially you) follows up with meeting notes and reminders outlining action points. 

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Two Quotes To Reflect On For The Week Ahead

“ Bad meetings almost always lead to bad decisions.”
– Patrick Lencioni, Death by Meeting

“ An excess of meetings indicates that jobs have not been defined clearly... The rule should be to minimize the need for people to get together to accomplish anything.”
– Peter Drucker, Management Taks 

Meme of The Week