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Why Most Meetings Fail (and How I Would Fix Them)
Most teams don’t actually have a meeting problem, they have a purpose problem.
When meetings feel like a drag, it’s almost always because the leader didn’t define the outcome clearly enough. High‑performing teams treat meetings like strategic tools, not recurring calendar events. And when you shift your mindset from “we meet because we always meet” to “we meet because there’s value to create,” everything changes.
1. Meetings Need a Purpose, Not a Placeholder
The most effective leaders ask one question before scheduling anything:
“What decision, alignment, or insight will this meeting produce?”
If the answer is fuzzy, the meeting shouldn’t exist.
2. Preparation Is the Real Productivity Hack
Most meeting dysfunction happens before anyone joins the call.
Great leaders:
- Share context early
- Clarify roles (owner, contributors, decision‑makers)
- Define what “done” looks like
- Keep the agenda tight and outcome‑focused
Preparation isn’t bureaucracy, it’s respect for people’s time.
3. The Leader Sets the Tone
A meeting is a micro‑culture.
If the leader is scattered, the team is scattered.
If the leader is intentional, the team becomes intentional.
Small behaviors matter:
- Start on time
- End on time
- Summarize decisions
- Assign owners and deadlines
- Capture next steps in writing
These rituals build trust and predictability, the foundation of psychological safety.
4. The Best Meetings Are Shorter Than You Think
When the purpose is clear and the prep is done, meetings shrink naturally.
People talk less, decide faster, and leave knowing exactly what to do next.
5. The Real Goal: Fewer Meetings, Better Outcomes
The point isn’t to run more meetings, it's to run meaningful ones.
When you design meetings around value creation, your team becomes sharper, faster, and more aligned.
Here's a great resource if you want more on the same topic: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-an-effective-meeting
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Why Most Meetings Fail (and How I Would Fix Them)
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