Before you schedule another meeting, ask this question:
"What would happen if we didn't have this meeting?"
If the answer is "nothing much," don't schedule it.
If the answer is "something bad would happen," then ask the follow-up: "Is a meeting the best way to prevent that?"
Sometimes the answer is yes. Most of the time, it's no.
The Question Works Because...
It forces honesty. Nobody wants to admit that their meeting isn't important. But when you ask the question directly, you have to confront the answer.
It also shifts the default. The default is "schedule the meeting." The question changes the default to "do we need a meeting?"
How to Use It
Apply this question to every recurring meeting. Not just new meetings. Recurring meetings especially need this test, because they've developed inertia.
If a recurring meeting fails the test, try one of three things:
- Cancel it — If nothing bad happens, cancel it
- Shorten it — If something bad happens but doesn't need much time, make it shorter
- Replace it — If the purpose could be achieved async, replace the meeting with a doc or a Slack thread
The Real Rule
Every meeting should be able to answer "what would happen if we didn't have this?" with something specific. Not "we wouldn't be aligned." Not "we wouldn't know what everyone is doing."
Something specific. Like "the Q3 roadmap wouldn't get decided" or "the team wouldn't know about the launch."
If your meeting can't answer that question, you've found a meeting that shouldn't exist.
Start asking the question. Your calendar will get lighter.
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