154. Have We Forgotten How to Meet? The Cost of Bad Meetings

Meetings have become a constant part of professional life, yet many participants leave wondering whether they accomplished anything at all. In this episode, Jason and Renee kick off a new series on meeting effectiveness by exploring why so many meetings feel unproductive, how poor planning wastes valuable time and resources, and what organizations can do to improve collaboration and decision-making. From meeting overload and unclear objectives to practical strategies for better agendas, follow-up, and accountability, this conversation offers a fresh look at one of the most common frustrations in the workplace.In this episode, you will be able to:Why ineffective meetings cost organizations time, money, and momentum.What current data reveals about the growing number of meetings in today’s workplace.How the 40/20/40 rule can improve meeting outcomes and execution.The key metrics organizations should use to evaluate meeting effectiveness.Practical strategies for running meetings with clear purpose, agendas, and action items.The key moments in this episode are:00:00:09 – Introduction to the New Meeting Series00:01:22 – Farm Update & The “Whiny Farmer” Story00:02:45 – Have We Forgotten How to Meet?00:06:05 – The Rising Cost of Meeting Overload00:08:58 – Meeting Statistics and Workplace Trends00:11:50 – Understanding the 40/20/40 Rule00:15:42 – Measuring Meeting ROI and Success00:19:20 – What Makes a Good Meeting?00:22:48 – Agendas, Follow-Up, and Clear Outcomes00:26:15 – Meeting Mondays and Protecting Productive Time00:29:10 – Final Thoughts & Looking Ahead to the SeriesLinks:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-indexhttps://asana.com/resources/state-of-work-innovation Connect with us: https://ruralpolicypartners.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/company/rural-policy-partners/ https://www.facebook.com/facebook.com/ruralpolicypartnershttps://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartnersWatch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7RQb9q5cuUk