How not to waste 34 hours a month in meetings

None of the participants will ever forget this meeting, that much is certain. The venue was the US Department of Defense, starring a new Secretary of State responsible for procurement, who was to lead her first meeting with suppliers and colleagues from her own company. When she entered the room, she was faced with 60 participants. She said, “Ok, it’s best if we just form a circle at the beginning. Everyone briefly introduces themselves and says why they are here.” The participants rolled their eyes, but did as they were told.

After the first two presentations, the State Secretary said: “Thank you very much for your interest. But we don’t need you here today.” After others had heard this announcement, more and more people who were not yet in line broke away from the circle, took their bags, greeted the group without a word and disappeared. Within about 20 minutes, 60 participants had become 12.

This story, told by Bain & Co. partner Michael C. Mankings on the Harvard Business Review blog, contains one of the most important principles for successful meetings: small groups. But the group size of 12 attendees that was created in the end in this instance is still too large, according to widespread expert opinion.