How many meeting invites do you get each week? If your company is like many American organizations, it’s probably too many. Recent research shows that 70% of all company meetings are keeping teams from completing their tasks. On top of that, a Harvard Business Review article reports that “Ineffective meetings that waste our time can negatively impact psychological, physical, and mental well-being.” Yikes! 

In this episode, I share three steps that can help reduce meeting overwhelm. There’s no doubt that declining a meeting is easier said than done. Company culture and concern for professional relationships can make it anxiety-inducing to even consider clicking anything but that little “yes” box on a meeting invitation. But taking the plunge and beginning to question—and even turn down—unnecessary meetings can make a huge difference in your company as a whole.

Navigate the meeting acceptance minefield professionally by learning:

• What the research says about our inefficient attachment to meetings;
• Why it’s okay to ask for more information;
• How and when to decline delicately;
• How to put meeting reduction into practice with your team.

Related Links:

• Harvard Business Review article, “Dear Manager, You’re Holding Too Many Meetings” - https://hbr.org/2022/03/dear-manager-youre-holding-too-many-meetings
• The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-art-of-gathering-how-we-meet-and-why-it-matters-priya-parker/588739?ean=9781594634932
• My LinkedIn course, “Asserting Yourself: An Empowered Choice - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/asserting-yourself-an-empowered-choice/why-being-assertive-matters
• Bossed Up Accelerator - Level Up - https://www.bossedup.org/levelup  
• Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/
• Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/