The Tuesday meeting had existed longer than two of the employees attending it. Nobody could explain its purpose, but everyone protected the calendar invitation as if it were an heirloom. Forty-five minutes later, the team had shared updates that could have been read in six minutes and postponed the only decision that required discussion.
A meeting should have a job. It may exist to decide, solve, coordinate, create, learn, or repair. “Because we always meet on Tuesday” is not a job. Research on workplace meetings shows that their design and quality affect employee experiences and organizational outcomes; leaders can improve them through intentional structure rather than treating meeting time as free (Mroz et al., 2018).
Before scheduling, write one sentence: “By the end of this meeting, we will…” If the sentence ends with “share updates,” ask whether a short written update would work. If it ends with a decision, name the decision and who owns it. If it ends with brainstorming, clarify what question needs ideas and what will happen to them.
Use the J.O.B. test:
- Justification: Why does this require people together at the same time?
- Outcome: What decision, plan, product, or understanding must exist by the end?
- Boundaries: Who is needed, what preparation is required, and how much time is enough?
Open by restating the outcome. Keep updates brief and move discussion toward the decision. Before closing, name what was decided, who owns each action, and the next checkpoint. If no decision was reached, say what remains unresolved and who will move it forward. Ambiguity should not receive a complimentary ride into next week.
Leaders also need permission to retire meetings. Review recurring meetings quarterly. Shorten, combine, reduce frequency, or cancel those that no longer serve a clear purpose. Time stewardship signals respect; it also creates room for concentrated work, coaching, and actual service to customers or clients.
Tellumind helps leaders build practical systems that improve clarity and healthy performance. Audit one recurring meeting this week. Give it a job, redesign it, or release everyone from the calendar inheritance.
References
Mroz, J. E., Allen, J. A., Verhoeven, D. C., & Shuffler, M. L. (2018). Do we really need another meeting? The science of workplace meetings. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(6), 484–491. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418776307
Grant, A. M., & Parker, S. K. (2009). Redesigning work design theories: The rise of relational and proactive perspectives. Academy of Management Annals, 3(1), 317–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/19416520802211579
