The average manager spends 23 hours per week in meetings. Research consistently shows that more than half of that time is considered wasted by the attendees themselves. Here is how to fix it.
Every Meeting Needs a Purpose Sentence
Before scheduling any meeting, write a single sentence describing what decision or output the meeting will produce. "Discuss Q2 marketing" is not a purpose. "Decide whether to double the Google Ads budget for Q2" is. If you can't write the sentence, cancel the meeting and send an email.
Ruthlessly Limit Attendance
Meeting size and decision quality are inversely correlated beyond six people. If someone's attendance is "just to stay informed," they don't need to be in the room — send them the notes. Invite only those who are essential to the decision or whose work will be directly affected by it.
Start with the Decision, Not the Background
Most meetings spend the first 40 minutes on context that attendees could have read in advance. Distribute a one-page pre-read before every meeting. Start the meeting at the decision point, not the beginning of the story.
End with Explicit Commitments
Close every meeting by reading aloud the decisions made and the actions assigned — name, deliverable, and date. This 90-second ritual eliminates the most common source of post-meeting confusion and ensures everyone leaves with the same understanding.
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