Why Cutting Meetings Is The New Leadership Flex: Here's How To Do It

Forbes

2 days ago

Bored woman sitting in meeting room with her colleagues
Let's be honest—most meetings aren't productive, and everyone knows it.
Half of them could've been an email, and the other half probably shouldn't have happened at all. It's the stuff of workplace satire: we sit there thinking about lunch or silently pleading for someone to wrap it up, while the clock eats away at actual work time that could have resulted in productivity.
If your days are filled with back-to-back meetings, you're not leading—you're drowning in noise and calling it strategy.
According to the Harvard Business Review review, the average executive now spends 23 hours a week in meetings, a number that's more than doubled since the 1960s. That's almost 60% of the workweek - and it's mostly a waste of time.
In the current 'do more with less' corporate era, Microsoft's global data shows meeting time has increased by 252% since 2020, and it's not making teams better—just busier.
Your People Are Burned Out—and Bored
The fallout is palpable. The majority of meetings drain energy, focus, and morale. Endless meetings increase frustration and decrease productivity.
Countless online calls lead to cognitive overload—known as Zoom fatigue—and even in-person meetings disrupt workflow and increase stress. Worse, meetings often become performative: people show up, say little, and leave unchanged.
The result? Employees aren't just disengaging—they're silently quitting your culture.
The 15-Minute Rule: Shorter, Smarter, Sharper
Here's the fix: no meeting should last longer than 15 minutes unless necessary. Stop the obligatory 'we need an hour' mantra - you really don't. According to the Wall Street Journal, 60% of productive meetings are now under 15 minutes, and this strategy is growing faster. Why? Because brevity forces precision.
Want real productivity? Start enforcing time limits. Use stand-up huddles, keep attendance lean, and anchor every meeting to a single, clear objective. If it can be said in an email, Slack, or shared doc—do that instead.
Ask These Three Questions Before You Book
If the answer to any is 'no,' cancel the invite.
Fewer Meetings. Better Outcomes.
Success doesn't come from talking about work—it comes from doing it. Real leaders know the difference. Stop using meetings as a shield. Start protecting what truly drives results: time, focus, and meaningful execution. Lead with purpose—not out of habit.
Reclaim your calendar. Reclaim your team. Reclaim your impact.