How to cut down on meetings that could have been an email
"My team schedules meetings that could be emails. What should I do?" Email-worthy topics become meetings for 6 fixable reasons (and 3 legitimate ones). A quick thread:
Fixable #1: The decision-maker is unclear. The inviter brings in a bunch of people because they're unsure of who makes the call. Give your team clarity on who makes decisions on what topics.
Fixable #2: They feel like they need to read your reaction. Does your yes always mean yes and your no mean no? Or does your team need context to determine what you really want? The more direct, concise, and consistent you are, the more employees can trust your written word.
Fixable #3: Meetings make them feel important and/or let them to prove their worth for their boss. Behavior follows rewards, so be clear with your team on the types of things you value. Praise people for keeping things tight and focused and don't reward grandstanding.
Fixable #4: They desire connection/social time. Especially now. Make sure you're providing your team with enough opportunities to spend time "together" so they don't feel obligated to invent work reasons to gather.
Fixable #5: Bad habit. If you want it to stop, be direct. "I appreciate you taking care of this issue, but in the future I think items like this could be handled in an email." Tell them face to face.
Fixable #6: It's easier than writing. Distilling both sides of a complex issue in an email takes good thinking and solid writing. It's simpler to just gather everyone and talk it through. Set an example with your own writing and be clear about your expectations.
And 3 legit reasons to turn an email into a meeting: a) The decision requires brainstorming b) The decision requires debate/negotiation c) The ultimate decision is blocked by a number of nested decisions and it's more efficient to pull everyone together for a few minutes
Note that most of the fixable reasons are on you as a manager to be direct with your feedback, to set a good example, and to create an environment where tackling issues efficiently is what generates rewards. /end
