We’ve all been there—sitting through yet another meeting that could’ve been an email, or watching the clock tick past the end time while no one calls it. Meetings are supposed to move work forward. Too often, they do the opposite.
I once sat through an entire week of 8-hour “planning” sessions. We were doing SAFe iteration planning—badly. There were over 80 people in the meeting. Fewer than six ever spoke. That’s not hyperbole. That meeting is what pushed me to write the Meeting Etiquette Guide—a document I now treat as a living framework in our organization.
The productivity lost in events like this is hard to calculate—but it’s massive no matter how you run the numbers. And while there’s value in transparency and sharing plans, this is not the way.
As an engineering manager, my calendar is often stacked wall-to-wall with meetings. That’s exactly why we need conventions that respect time, focus, and contribution. Without those, meetings become just another drag on the system.
Consider the Stats
Atlassian’s Workplace Woes: Meetings Study
- 72% of meetings are ineffective, making them a major productivity barrier
- 78% of participants said they are required to attend so many meetings, it hampers their ability to do their actual work
- 51% say they regularly work overtime due to meeting overload
- Based on a survey of 5,000 knowledge workers across four continents, revealing how meeting culture often undermines organizational goals
Time Wasted in Meetings (February 2025)
- Employees spend an average of 31 hours per month in meetings
- 50% of that time is wasted, according to the report
- The cost of unproductive meetings in the U.S. is estimated at $399 billion annually
The Meeting Smell Test
Ask yourself these questions before you send that invite:
| Question | If No, then… |
|---|---|
| Do I have a clear purpose or outcome for the meeting? | Don’t meet. Write it down and share instead. |
| Do I need input or decisions from multiple people? | Consider async collaboration (email, chat, doc comments). |
| Can this be handled with a quick update or FYI? | Use email or a post—not people’s calendars. |
| Will more than 50% of attendees speak or contribute? | Rethink the invite list—or cancel. |
| Is this blocked by something else being done first? | Wait. Then schedule only if it’s still needed. |
> Tip: If the answer to most of these is “no”, don’t make a meeting. Make a plan.
What’s Worked for Me
We don’t have to accept bad meetings as normal. We can do better—and here’s how.
Start by creating a Meeting Guidance document for your team or organization. Keep it concise, practical, and adaptable. Then do the real work: get leadership support and treat it as a living document, not a box-checking exercise. You’ll find a template at the end of this article to jump-start that process.
As for “sharing with the team”? That’s easy: don’t invite them all—just share the outcomes. Assign someone to document meeting notes, decisions, and follow-ups. Then email it out.
If you’re worried no one will read it, use tools like Microsoft Power Platform to track receipt or gather digital sign-offs. In my experience, though, that’s rarely necessary if expectations are clear, tools are provided, and accountability is enforced.
Final Thought
Change like this doesn’t require a revolution. But it does require someone willing to speak up—and a plan to follow through.
Once you’ve got that? The rest is execution.
📄 Ready to Steal My Template?
Check out the Meeting Etiquette Guide—customizable for your org, your culture, and your team.
Your time (and your team’s) is too valuable to waste pretending a bad meeting is better than none.
🤝 Need Help?
If you want help implementing this in your organization—or even just convincing your leadership—I’m happy to chat.
Reach out via my LinkedIn profile to start a conversation.
Take Life on your Feet 
Leave a comment