Manish's – Thoughts and Learnings

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You’re stuck in a meeting, and suddenly you start pondering the really deep, existential questions of life, like… “How did they manage to get this absolute behemoth of a conference table inside this tiny meeting room door?” 🤔

If you find yourself having those kinds of thoughts, you might be in what I call a “Giant Table, Small Door” meeting, a session that is way too grand, over-staffed, and ultimately, an absolute drain on everyone’s time. It’s a sign that the meeting itself is suffering from an architectural flaw, too much size, too little purpose.

How to Stop Buying Oversized Tables (i.e. Holding Oversized Meetings)

We are professionals, not hostages! Boring, useless meetings are a major drain on time and morale. Let’s make every meeting worth the time it consumes.

1. Define the Exit: Before scheduling, complete this sentence: “By the end of this meeting, we will have [a clear, measurable outcome – e.g., decided on Option A, finalized the budget, received approval to proceed]“. If you can’t define the exit, don’t open the door.
2. Invite Only the Builders: Only include people who are required to achieve the defined outcome. If their role is “FYI,” send a memo. If they are a “maybe”, they are a “no”. Smaller groups are more agile and focused.
3. Use the 25/50 Minute Rule: Schedule meetings for 25 or 50 minutes, not 30 or 60. This forces brevity and gives everyone a critical 5 or 10 minute break to reset before the next task.
4. Embrace the Asynchronous: If the main goal is simply information sharing, don’t meet. Send a detailed email or a shared document. Respect people’s work time.
5. No Agenda? No Meeting: An agenda is the GPS for your meeting. Without one, you’re just a group of confused people driving around aimlessly, eventually stopping for a roadside tea or tender coconut but achieving nothing. If the first 10 minutes are spent deciding what to discuss, you have already failed.

My challenge to you: Look at your calendar for next week. Which meeting feels like it might have a “Giant Table” inside? How can you re-scope it, shorten it, or eliminate it entirely?

#Meetings #Productivity #WorkTips #Leadership #TimeManagement