The Science of Meetings: Why Meetings Matter More Than You Think

Adam Kreek

Meetings get a bad rap. "This could have been an email" has become the battle cry of frustrated professionals everywhere. But what if the problem isn’t the meetings themselves—it's how we run them?

Steven G. Rogelberg’s book The Science of Meetings dives into decades of research to explain why most meetings are ineffective and, more importantly, how to fix them. If you've ever left a meeting wondering why you even showed up, this book offers research-backed insights into making meetings productive, engaging, and worthwhile.

Why Meetings Matter

A well-run meeting isn’t just about checking off an agenda—it’s a direct reflection of leadership and organizational culture. According to Rogelberg, meetings are a crucial tool for driving alignment, collaboration, and efficiency. However, most are riddled with inefficiencies, from unclear objectives to lack of participation and accountability.

Key takeaways from The Science of Meetings:

Meetings reflect leadership quality. When meetings are disorganized, meandering, or ineffective, it’s usually a symptom of poor leadership. Strong leaders know how to set clear objectives, engage participants, and drive action.
Structure creates freedom. A well-designed agenda, defined roles, and time constraints allow for more productive conversations, not less.
Engagement is critical. Teams that actively participate in discussions make better decisions and execute plans more effectively. Passive attendance breeds disengagement and inefficiency.

How Values Shape Effective Meetings

In my work with organizations, I emphasize that values drive behaviour, and behaviour drives results. When done well, meetings are a powerful tool to reinforce company culture and values.

If a company values collaboration, its meetings should be designed to encourage open dialogue. If it prioritizes efficiency, meetings should be well-structured and outcome-driven. If accountability is a key principle, meetings should focus on decisions and follow-through.

Rogelberg’s research supports this connection: organizations with clear values and strong meeting practices outperform those without them. Leaders who integrate values into meetings—by setting clear expectations, fostering inclusive discussions, and ensuring actionable outcomes—create more engaged, high-performing teams.

Practical Tools for Better Meetings

Improving meetings doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Small, research-backed adjustments can lead to major improvements. Here are four simple ways to enhance meeting effectiveness:

Start with clarity. Every meeting should have a defined purpose. If you can’t articulate the objective in one sentence, reconsider whether the meeting is necessary.
Engage with intent. Encourage participation by asking open-ended questions and rotating facilitation roles. The more involved people feel, the more they contribute.
Follow through. A meeting without clear next steps is just a conversation. Assign action items and set deadlines to ensure momentum continues after the meeting ends.
Use a facilitator. Having a neutral facilitator ensures discussions stay on track, all voices are heard, and the meeting remains focused. This is particularly useful in high-stakes or cross-functional meetings.

For additional tools and templates based on Rogelberg’s research, visit his website here.

The Bottom Line

Meetings aren’t the enemy—bad meetings are. When structured properly, they become a powerful tool for communication, collaboration, and decision-making. Leaders who understand the science of meetings will create environments where people feel heard, decisions are made efficiently, and teams stay aligned.

Run better meetings. Run a better business.

Want to put these strategies to work? Start by evaluating your next meeting. Is it necessary? Is it aligned with your values? Does it drive action? The science is clear: well-run meetings lead to better results.

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Adam Kreek is on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.

Kreek is an Executive Business Coach who lives in Victoria, BC, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, USA, in the Pacific Northwest. He works with clients globally, often travelling to California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Georgia, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a storied adventurer and a father.

He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen.

Discover our thoughts on Values here.

Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about Kreek’s coaching here.

Want to book a keynote that leaves a lasting impact? Learn more about Kreek’s live event service here.

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"What differentiates successful meeting leaders from unsuccessful ones is the willingness to pick the right tool for the job at hand."