In the corporate world, ineffective meetings have become a costly norm. While meetings are meant to drive collaboration and decision-making, 72% of them are ineffective, preventing leaders and teams from doing truly productive work.
For senior leaders, this isn’t just frustrating – it’s a strategic risk. Unnecessary meetings cost an estimated $39,000 per employee annually, adding up to $156 million for large companies every year. Unfortunately, the cost is even greater at the top: senior leaders spend 50% of their time in meetings and 80% of their time communicating in both formal and informal contexts.
This constant cycle of back-to-back meetings makes it difficult to focus on strategic goals. In fact, 67% of senior leaders and 51% of employees say that they work overtime each week due to meeting overload.
To lead effectively, senior managers must find ways to reduce unnecessary meetings, streamline communication and foster a meeting culture that drives genuine innovation. This blog explores practical strategies to help you spend less time in the boardroom – and more time leading with impact.
Meeting overload: Where minutes are taken and hours are wasted
According to a global survey of 5,000 workers, the most common problems leading to ineffective meetings are:
- No clear agenda: Participants arrive unsure of the purpose or expected outcomes.
- Conversational chaos: Discussions meander, dominated by a few voices, leaving others disengaged.
- Information on repeat: Updates that could have been shared via email take up valuable time.
- No clarity or decisions: Meetings end without actionable outcomes, leading to confusion and follow-up meetings.
- A culture of over-meeting: The assumption that more meetings equal more productivity pervades the organisation.
This cycle not only wastes time but also erodes morale and strategic focus across your organisation. So how do you change it?
Best practices to hold fewer, better meetings
To shift from meeting overload to meeting excellence, leaders must treat meetings as strategic tools – not default habits. Here’s how:
1. Audit your calendar
Start by identifying recurring meetings that lack purpose or outcomes. Cancel or consolidate them. For new meetings, ask yourself:
- Is there a clear agenda? 79% of workers say an agenda makes meetings more productive.
- Could this be handled in an email or asynchronously?
- Does this meeting help us meet a deadline or solve a problem?
- Was a similar past meeting successful, or did it go off-topic and leave people feeling unheard?
- Whose input is really required? Having a smaller group will cut down on distractions and keep the focus sharp, while freeing other people to get on with their work.
2. Use agendas as anchors
Every meeting should have a defined purpose, agenda and desired outcomes. Share these in advance to allow participants to prepare and contribute meaningfully. Establish meeting templates to cover deadlines, key discussion points and decision logs.
3. Lead and facilitate with intention
Effective meetings require strong leadership. Assign a facilitator to guide the discussion, keep time and ensure all voices are heard. Encourage inclusive participation by inviting quieter team members to share their views. If poor facilitation is an ongoing challenge in your organisation, then consider providing formal training to your management team.
4. Build a respectful meeting culture
Encourage punctuality, focus and respectful participation. Discourage multitasking and side conversations (49% of employees admit to doing other unrelated work during meetings). Reinforce a culture where declining unnecessary meetings or requesting an agenda is acceptable – and even encouraged. Finally, try implementing a “no meetings” day each week to allow for deep work. If a full day isn’t feasible, start with a morning or afternoon.
Reducing unnecessary meetings isn’t just about saving time – it’s about reclaiming focus, fostering innovation and empowering teams to work smarter. By transforming your meeting culture, you set the tone for a more agile, effective organisation. The question isn’t how many meetings you have – it’s how many truly matter.
