The 15-Minute Meeting: Big Impact, Tiny Timebox
READ TIME - 3 MINUTES
“Anyone else feel like they work at Meetings Pty Ltd?” Lina dropped into a chair with her lunch… at 3:10pm.
“Back-to-back since eight. I’ve moved the same to-do three days in a row.” Marcus held up his calendar like it was Exhibit A.
“Same. We talk about the work all day and somehow never do the work.” Priyanka nodded. “I counted yesterday. Seven meetings. Zero decisions.”
Lina checked the clock and grinned. “Let’s try something new. Today, we cut our meetings in half.”
Marcus blinked, “Half?”
“Yep,” Priyanka said. “Fifteen is the new thirty. Let’s try it for a week and see what breaks.”
Why are our days so often filled with constant meetings? Surely there’s got to be a better way.
Meetings expand to fill the space you give them.
Shrink the space, and you force clarity: one purpose, one decision, one next step.
Shorter meetings respect people’s attention, reduce context switching, and build momentum.
And you get something even better than a full calendar: actual time to do the work (a shock, I know!).
Our challenge to you:
For the next seven days, default new meetings to fifteen minutes. Only upgrade to thirty if there’s a clear reason.
You’ll be amazed how much fluff vanishes when the clock is smaller.
How to run a powerful 15-minute meeting:
Set the frame
Open with, “It wasn’t a typo, this really is just going to be fifteen minutes. We finish at quarter past. Today’s goal is to decide X and lock the first step. The decider is [name].” Honestly, this does more than most agendas.
Give only what’s essential
Two sentences of context (what the problem is and why it matters now). Then ask: “Is there any blocker that kills this today?” Keep answers to ten seconds.
Get to the decision
Name the options in one line each. Ask the decider for the call. If the decider isn’t in the room, assign who will make it and by when, then end.
Lock the action
Ask for the owner, the first step, and the due date. Get them to type it in chat so it’s visible. Name the risk that could derail it and how you’ll protect against it.
Close clean
Read back the decision and action. Ask, “Do we actually need a follow-up?” If yes, book another fifteen. If not, wrap that baby up.
To make it super easy for others to say yes to a 15-minute meeting:
In the calendar invite: write the goal, name the decider, and paste a mini-agenda: something along the lines of context → options → decision → owner.
Whenever humanly possible, skip attachments and long decks.
Here’s what to do if things go sideways:
Too many people? Ask who actually needs to be there to decide or do the work, and release the rest.
No decision-maker? Convert it to a five-minute huddle (yes, just five minutes!). Assign a decision maker and a deadline, then end.
Conversation spiralling? Park it on a named list with a due date and bring the group back to the decision at hand.
Pro tip: Put a tiny timer on the screen. It sounds silly, but it keeps the pace snappy, makes it easier to cut to a call, and turns the meeting into a game you can win by finishing early
And another tip for you: Replace pure status catch-ups with an async update. Keep live time for decisions and blockers only. You’ll be amazed at how much more spacious your workday feels.
The Bottom Line
If your day is a wall of meetings, you don’t need another productivity hack. You need fewer, smaller meetings with sharper purpose.
We dare you: Run the fifteen-minute frame: one goal, one decision, one next step. Then go do the work you’re here to do.
That’s it for this week.
Next Tuesday, we’ll tackle the rumour mill: how to beat speculation with a simple two-beat update rhythm that calms nerves fast.
See you then,
Team EVER
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