Meetings are often treated as the ultimate representation of corporate bureaucracy, leading some execs to try to eliminate them altogether.
When Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson stepped up to lead the clothing brand three years ago, she said she worked to reduce the company’s overall meeting load by roughly 60%. The move was part of an effort to open up more space for focus, creativity, and execution.
Olson told Business Insider she tries to make sure meetings are purposeful and productive for everyone in the room. She added that not every conversation needs to be a meeting and that part of leading the company means knowing when smaller discussions, quick decisions, and written communication can be more efficient.
“I’m here in service to my team. So, the meetings have to be useful to them and I want to make sure that I’m present,” said Olson, who recently published the leadership book “Co-Created” about the brand.
A balance
Olson said that while meetings should have a goal, the path to getting there is not always linear, especially when teams are working through strategy, innovation, or long-term planning.
“It’s important to be clear on the topic and the outcome,” Olson said. “But how you get there might not be as direct as you think.”
Even though she’s cut down the number of meetings overall, she said she believes certain conversations can still benefit from live discussion, especially when teams are solving problems, brainstorming ideas, or debating strategy.
Olson said that over-focusing on efficiency can limit “true innovation, creativity, curiosity, and brainstorming.”
“Some of our best conversations as a leadership team have been when the meeting went four hours because people are actually speaking in the room,” Olson said.
These conversations aren’t the norm at Pacsun, however. Olson said those meetings have taken place during the retailer’s long-range planning sessions, which occur twice a year over a two or three-day period.
Olson said she’s trying to build a culture where all voices are heard. To do that, you need to “create a little more time,” she said. She added that listening is especially important for a company that prides itself on community and creativity.
Olson isn’t alone in articulating her approach to meetings.
Last year, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri released a memo that said recurring meetings would be canceled every six months and only re-added if “absolutely necessary.” The executive also encouraged making recurring one-on-ones biweekly “by default” and said workers should decline meetings that interfere with “focus blocks.”
Jeff Bezos also has his own unique meeting style. The billionaire has said the meetings he finds most useful start with six-page memos, followed by 30 minutes of reading and a “messy” discussion.
