The Meeting That Could Have Been an Email And What to Do About It

You know the meme. I survived another meeting that could have been an email. We laugh because it’s true. And then we go schedule another one.

Here’s the thing: we don’t hold unproductive meetings because we’re bad leaders. We hold them because we inherited them. We gather the way gatherings have always been done, without stopping to ask whether the format is actually serving the purpose anymore.

In healthcare, where time is everything and energy is precious, that habit is worth interrupting.

Here’s how to take back your time and lead meetings that actually matter

We Gather Out of Tradition, Not Always Intention

Author Priya Parker explores this beautifully in The Art of Gathering. We plan weddings around what weddings are supposed to look like rather than what we actually want. We play baby shower games nobody enjoys because someone decided we had to. We spend fortunes on tradition and call it celebration.

Sound familiar? The standing Tuesday meeting that’s been on the calendar since 2019. The hour-long update that could have been a three-sentence email. The invite list that includes everyone because nobody wanted to leave anyone out.

We can do better. And the good news is it doesn’t take a complete overhaul, just a little intention before you hit send on that calendar invite.

The Real Cost of a Poorly Designed Meeting

Try this the next time you’re sitting in a meeting that’s going sideways. Look around the room. Estimate the average hourly salary of everyone present. Multiply it by the length of the meeting.

Alarming, right?

Now look at last week’s calendar. How many hours did you spend in meetings? When did you actually do the work? Meetings are not free. They are one of the most significant investments of time and talent in your organization. They deserve to be designed like it.

Purpose Before Format, Always

Before you send a single calendar invite, ask: What is the desired outcome of this gathering? Then ask: Is a meeting actually the best way to get there?

There are two ways leaders get this wrong, both with good intentions. The first is over-inclusion, inviting everyone to avoid leaving anyone out. The second is under-inclusion, moving so fast that critical voices get left out, then spending next week’s meeting re-explaining everything.

Both failures share the same root: the meeting got designed before the purpose did.

Design Meetings Like People Are Actually Going to Attend Them

If you are scheduling back-to-back meetings with no transition time, people are arriving late, rushing from one room to the next, breathless, already behind. Build in transition time. It’s not a luxury. It’s respect.

And for our virtual meeting leaders, Maslow had something to say about this. People cannot show up as their best thinking selves if they haven’t eaten, hydrated, or had a bathroom break. Give people five minutes between meetings. It will come back to you tenfold in focus and presence.

On the flip side, check availability before you schedule. When someone receives a meeting invite with no agenda and no context while they’re already triple booked, they cannot prioritize intelligently. Give people enough information to make a good decision about where their presence is most needed.

It Is Absolutely Okay to Push Back

You are allowed to decline a meeting. You are allowed to ask what is my role in this conversation? You are allowed to send a representative, request an agenda in advance, or suggest that a decision doesn’t actually require an hour of everyone’s time.

Protecting your time isn’t rude. It’s excellent leadership.

[FRAMEWORK]

Your Time Is Your Most Valuable Coin

My dear friend, colleague, and mentor Dr. Barbara Mackoff, Harvard graduate and Fulbright Scholar, taught me one of the most valuable lessons I carry as a leader:

“Time is your most valuable coin. Don’t let anyone spend it for you.”

That applies to your calendar, your meeting invites, your standing committees, and that one recurring Thursday call that hasn’t produced a decision in six months. Excellence in leadership means spending your time, and your team’s time, like you know exactly what it’s worth.

“Reflection: Look at your calendar this week. Pick one recurring meeting and ask honestly: Does this still serve its original purpose? What would happen if you redesigned it, shortened it, or let it go entirely?”

About the Author

Dr. Crystal Lawson is a nationally recognized nurse leadership expert, keynote speaker, and CEO & Founder of We Rise Up, LLC. She equips, empowers, and inspires nurse leaders to rise into their full potential, with confidence, clarity, and compassion. Learn more at DrClawRN.com.