November 12, 2021
Editorial
Harvard Business Review (website)

The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload

By: A.V. Whillans, Dave Feldman and Damian Wisniewski

Format:Electronic

Abstract

Bad meetings are the bane of the corporate world — and yet despite what appears to be an overwhelming consensus that they’re often unnecessary and unproductive, many workplaces continue to struggle to avoid them. In this piece, the authors discuss the psychological pitfalls that lead us to schedule and attend too many meetings, and share strategies to help employees, managers, and organizations overcome those challenges. While there’s no way to completely eliminate the universal human biases that drive these tendencies, a greater awareness of the psychological factors at play can help us all work towards healthier communication norms, more-effective interactions, and cleaner calendars.

Keywords

Meetings; Collaboration; Psychology; Time Management; Communication

Citation

Whillans, A.V., Dave Feldman, and Damian Wisniewski. "The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload." Harvard Business Review (website) (November 12, 2021).