170: Meetings Don’t Have to Suck

Why do so many meetings leave people feeling drained instead of productive? Meet Heather. It’s 8 p.m. and she’s still staring at her laptop. Her days are packed with back-to-back meetings, leaving no time to think, plan, or actually do the work. By the end of the day, she feels exhausted, behind, and disconnected from the life waiting for her outside the screen. In this episode, Jay sits down with Mamie Kanfer Stewart, founder of Modern Manager and author of Momentum. Together, they unpack why most meetings fail, how poor meeting culture quietly drains energy and productivity, and what leaders can do to reclaim time, attention, and focus. Notable Quotes “A conversation can grow to the size of its fishbowl.” — Mamie Kanfer Stewart “Running meetings is a skill.” — Mamie Kanfer Stewart “There’s almost always someone in the meeting wondering why they’re there.” — Mamie Kanfer Stewart “Meetings don’t have to be the bane of existence at work.” — Mamie Kanfer Stewart About Our Guest Mamie Kanfer Stewart is the founder of Modern Manager, host of The Modern Manager Podcast, and author of Momentum. She works with leaders and organizations to improve communication, collaboration, and meeting culture through practical systems that help teams work more effectively and intentionally. Resources & Links Mamie Kanfer Stewart Website – https://www.mamieks.com/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamiekanferstewart/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/leadershipwithmamie/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mamie.kanfer.stewart/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@themodernmanager Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/mamiekstewart/ X – https://x.com/mamieks Jay Abbasi Website – https://jayabbasi.me/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jayabbasi_/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@jayabbasipodcast Get Featured on “Unstuck” Want to have your story featured on “Unstuck”? Submit your story through the link below, and Jay may choose to highlight your story on a future episode and offer you personalized advice on how to overcome any challenge. Submit Your Story Join Us Next Time On Friday, Jay explores fascinating new research from the University of Chicago on cell phone use and cognitive performance. The findings reveal that distraction is not just affecting productivity when you’re actively using your phone, but even when the phone is simply nearby. If you’ve been struggling to focus, stay present, or feel mentally clear, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.