Meetings

The modern workplace has a simple reflex: When something needs attention, we schedule a meeting.

Sometimes that is exactly the right instinct and as you probably know at other times it is simply the easiest one.

A useful question to ask is not “Do we need to talk about this?” The better question is “What kind of work needs to happen?” And guess what?,  some work requires a meeting.

When the goal is sense-making, conversation matters. When there is disagreement, people need to hear tone, nuance, and intention. When the task involves creating something new, ideas often emerge through dialogue rather than documents.

But a surprising amount of work does not need a meeting at all.

If the purpose is sharing information, a message will usually do.

If the goal is updating progress, a short note is faster than gathering everyone in a room.

If the question has a clear owner, a direct message can solve it in minutes.

Meetings are most valuable when they create something that could not exist otherwise: clarity, alignment, or a decision.

Everything else can usually travel by message.