Companies lose $37 billion every year.
Not on bad hires.
Not on failed products.
On something that’s 100% in their control:
Bad meetings.
Here’s the brutal math:
The average professional wastes 31 hours monthly in unproductive meetings.
Multiply that across your organization.
Now add the opportunity cost of what your team could’ve built instead.
That’s not a rounding error. That’s a crisis.
Most leaders run meetings like amateur hour:
– No clear outcome
– Same voices dominating
– Laptops open, minds closed
– “Quick syncs” that steal 90 minutes
– Action items that die in someone’s inbox
Meanwhile, your best people are updating their LinkedIn profiles.
Because nothing says “I don’t value your time” like another pointless meeting.
Here’s what actually works:
1. Kill the bloat. Every meeting needs a clear necessity. Can’t explain why everyone needs to be there? Cancel it. Your team will thank you.
2. Promise one outcome. Not “discuss strategy.” Not “align on Q4.” One specific decision or result. Make it crystal clear before anyone joins.
3. Ban silent observers. If someone’s just listening, they’re just wasting time. Give everyone a role or give them their morning back.
4. Use real data. Hypotheticals are for philosophy class. Bring numbers, bring evidence, bring something concrete to discuss.
5. End on time. Every time. Running over “just 5 minutes” tells your team their time doesn’t matter. Respect the clock or lose their respect.
6. Set next-day deadlines. “Next quarter” means never. Tomorrow means tomorrow. Urgency creates action.
The leaders who get this right don’t have more hours.
They just stop lighting them on fire.
Your next meeting is either an investment or a theft.
