Decide Whether a Meeting Is the Right Tool.
Choose meetings deliberately instead of using them as the default response to every question.
The essential idea
A meeting should exist only when people need to make progress together in real time.
Meetings are useful for decisions with tradeoffs, shared problem-solving, relationship repair, or work that benefits from live questions. They are poor substitutes for a clear update, a document, or a simple request that people could consider on their own time.
Before scheduling, ask what must be different when the conversation ends. If the answer is only that people will have heard information, try a written update first. If the answer is a decision, alignment, or a complex issue that needs several perspectives, a meeting may be the right tool.
Choosing not to meet is a leadership skill. It protects attention and makes the meetings you do hold more credible. A short written proposal with a request for comments can often create better thinking than a rushed calendar invitation.
When a meeting is necessary, say why. A clear purpose helps participants decide how to prepare and helps the facilitator know what must happen before time runs out.
Try this today
- Review one upcoming meeting and write the outcome it needs.
- Ask whether a document, message, or smaller conversation could achieve it first.
- For the next meeting you schedule, state the purpose in the invitation.