The world of work will always revolve around people working with people. Meeting together is an important way to get things done, which is why meetings will always be a part of organizational life. But they’re also hated by most people—not because they get things done (which they do), but because they typically waste so much time. Since we can’t get rid of them, the answer is to get better at them by making them more efficient, more valuable, and more concise.

Take a look at your calendar. How many of your meetings are 60 minutes or longer? Imagine how much time you would have to get your work done (or even just have space to think) if they were 25-minute meetings. And imagine how appreciative your team members and colleagues will be for that time when they attend your meetings.

Twenty-five minutes is not an arbitrary number: There is both art and science involved. Put simply, 25 minutes is practical, easy, and achievable—and it has the smarts to back it up.

Action steps

There are three steps to the 25-minute meeting roadmap:

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