We Want Collaboration—We Get More Meetings

Jessica Brown Ph. D
Apr 7
2 min read

We’re living in a meeting culture. Somewhere along the way, our desire for collaboration turned into packed calendars and back-to-back Zoom calls. While the intent was good—connect more, align better, stay in sync—the execution has often gone sideways.

Let’s face it: we’re in meetings about meetings. And the time we need to actually get work done? It’s getting squeezed out.

🧠 The Modern Work Paradox

Leaders and teams want collaboration, input, and shared decision-making. But the tools we default to—endless check-ins, status updates, and poorly defined touchpoints—are draining our productivity. A study by Harvard Business Review found that:

🔹 65% of senior managers say meetings keep them from completing their own work.

🔹 71% find meetings unproductive and inefficient.

🔹 Yet the average employee spends 18+ hours/week in meetings—and it’s rising.

This isn’t just a personal time issue—it’s an organizational cost.💸 According to Otter.ai, unnecessary meetings cost U.S. businesses $37 billion annually.

✅ The ROI of Effective Meetings

When meetings are run well, the benefits are real:

Clearer decisions
Increased alignment
Stronger accountability
Reduced burnout
Faster execution

It's not about canceling every meeting—but about making every meeting count.

How to Make Meetings Worth It

Here’s how individuals and teams can shift toward high-impact, low-friction meetings:

🔍 Before the Meeting

Ask “Is this meeting necessary?”: Could this be an email, a Loom video, or a Slack thread?
Set a clear purpose, agenda, and preparation work in the invite: Everyone should know why they’re there and what the goal is.
Invite only who’s essential: Fewer voices = more clarity. Respect people’s time.
Attendees do prepwork: Each person comes prepared to the meeting.

⏱️ During the Meeting

Start and end on time: Guard time like a resource—because it is.
Assign a facilitator: Someone should guide discussion, keep things on track, and prevent derailment.
Stay focused: Keep conversation focused on the problems and collaborative decisions that move our work forward.
Clarify action items before closing: Who’s doing what by when? Capture it, share it.

📝 After the Meeting

Send a brief summary: No novel required. Just the key points, decisions, and next steps.
Ask for feedback: Especially if the meeting is recurring. What could make it better?