According to a McKinsey survey, 61% of executives feel that at least half of the time they spend making decisions — much of it in meetings — was ineffective. Just 37% of respondents said their organizations’ decisions were both timely and high quality.
When it comes to creating effective and efficient meetings, preparation matters, says Peter Wood, CTO at tech recruitment firm Spectrum Search. He believes that the most high-quality and results-focused IT team meetings always start with one thing: clarity. “Everyone knows why they’re there, and that sets the tone for the entire session,” Wood explains in an online interview. “If you can’t sum up the purpose of the meeting in a single sentence, it’s probably not ready to happen.”
Justin Maynard, a vice president at IT consulting firm Resultant, stresses the need for detailed advance planning. “All of the normal things that characterize an efficient meeting need to be in place — clear objectives, an agenda shared in advance, and active engagement are all needed,” he says in an email interview.
Building Efficiency
Limit meeting participants to necessary stakeholders, advises John Russo vice president of healthcare technology solutions at healthcare software provider OSP Labs. He believes that meetings should be short, focused, and outcome driven. “We respect time by sticking to priorities and reserving discussions for items that truly require group alignment,” Russo says in an online interview. “It’s all about purpose and preparation.”
Russo says this approach works well, since it encourages participants to arrive prepared, allowing decisions to be made faster with a sense of accountability. “Especially in healthcare IT, where time is critical, this structure ensures meetings aren’t just check-ins — they’re strategic tools that drive momentum without wasting energy.”
Every meeting should have a clear reason to happen — whether it’s syncing up on a sprint, solving a specific problem, or aligning priorities, says Trevor Young, chief product officer at security and compliance specialist Security Compass. “Send out an agenda ahead of time so attendees can come prepared,” he advises in an email interview. “Don’t invite the whole world — just the folks who really need to be there.”
Wood stresses the importance of valuing participants’ time. “Most engineers I’ve worked with dread meetings that drag on or don’t lead to any actionable outcomes,” he says. “If everyone leaves the meeting knowing exactly what they need to do, or with a clear understanding that nothing has changed, then the meeting has done its job.”
Stay focused, Maynard recommends. “IT people always want to dig into the details and solve every issue,” he says. This can result in meetings that fall into a bottomless rabbit hole. “While you may solve one problem, you have wasted everyone else’s time.” Arranging a direct connection with the individuals best suited to solve the issue makes more sense.
Costly Mistakes
Trying to control every meeting aspect is a common trap, Russo says. “Leaders who dominate the conversation miss out on valuable input.” Also, holding meetings just for routine’s sake builds no value. “Empowering the team and knowing when not to meet is often more impactful.”
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming that speaking relentlessly means making an impact, Wood says. He believes that many meeting moderators talk too much. Meetings shouldn’t be a platform for long, windy monologues. “You’re there to diagnose, not lecture.” Asking the right questions and then listening is key. “Engineers, for instance, don’t need to be micromanaged — they need to feel trusted to tackle problems,” he states. “The way you run your meetings should reflect that trust.”
One simple rule is to avoid wasting time, Wood says. If a meeting doesn’t lead to any progress, end it. “This approach forces you to treat every meeting as something valuable and ensures that you’re always focused on moving forward.” He also recommends rotating meeting leaders, including giving junior team members a chance to offer their views. “This encourages ownership and brings in new perspectives.”
Closing Thoughts
You’ll feel it when a meeting drags, Young says. “People are zoning out, multitasking, or asking the same questions as last week.” If meetings always run long, lack clear outcomes, or leave participants wondering what to do next — it’s not doing its job. Additionally, if a participant says, “This could have been handled by email,” it’s a clear sign that the meeting was probably unnecessary.
Make reflection part of the process, Russo suggests. Regularly ask the team what’s working, involve all parties, and keep meetings dynamic. “A quick check-in every few weeks will prevent drift and reinforce a culture in which everyone values time and focus.”