We’ve all been there—meetings that drag on, filled with unnecessary discussions, unclear agendas, and no real outcomes. The truth is, most meetings are inefficient, and many could have been an email. But some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs have mastered the art of running highly effective meetings.
What do Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, and Richard Branson have in common? They keep meetings short, focused, and actionable. Below, we’ll explore their famous techniques, along with other proven methods to make meetings more productive.
1. Jeff Bezos’ Meeting Strategies
The Two-Pizza Rule
Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, believes that no meeting should have more participants than can be fed with two pizzas. This ensures meetings stay small and efficient, allowing for faster decision-making and more meaningful contributions from each attendee.
No PowerPoint, Just Memos
Bezos banned PowerPoint presentations in Amazon meetings. Instead, employees must write a clear, narrative-style memo before the meeting. This forces deeper thinking, eliminates vague bullet points, and provides a structured way to present ideas.
The Empty Chair Technique
In many Amazon meetings, there is an empty chair representing the customer. This practice reminds teams to prioritize customer needs in every decision. If a topic doesn’t ultimately serve the customer, it’s reconsidered.
2. Warren Buffett’s 5-Minute Rule
Buffett, known for his focus on efficiency and decision-making, applies a simple rule: Start every meeting by asking, “What is the outcome we need?” If this can be decided quickly, the meeting can be wrapped up in five minutes rather than dragging on unnecessarily.
This method forces participants to eliminate fluff and get straight to decisions rather than engaging in endless discussions.
3. Steve Jobs: Keep Meetings Small
Steve Jobs believed that too many people in a meeting kills productivity. He was famous for keeping meetings as small as possible, often limiting them to only those who are directly responsible for a project.
If someone wasn’t essential to the discussion, Jobs had no problem asking them to leave—not to be rude, but to respect everyone’s time.
4. Richard Branson: Stay Standing
Virgin Group’s Richard Branson has one simple rule: If a meeting doesn’t require sitting, don’t sit.
Standing meetings:
- Encourage brevity—people naturally keep things short.
- Boost energy—reducing the sluggishness of long discussions.
- Increase engagement—attendees are more alert and focused.
Many companies now implement stand-up meetings, especially for quick daily check-ins.
5. Sheryl Sandberg: Assign Roles
Facebook’s former COO, Sheryl Sandberg, believes that every meeting participant should have a clear role. This prevents passive attendees and ensures accountability.
Roles might include:
- Decision-maker – The person responsible for finalizing the decision.
- Contributor – Provides essential insights or expertise.
- Facilitator – Keeps the discussion on track and enforces time limits.
- Note-taker – Records action items and next steps.
By defining roles upfront, Sandberg ensures that every meeting serves a clear purpose and leads to concrete actions.
6. Practical Tips to Improve Any Meeting
Even if you don’t adopt an entrepreneur’s specific strategy, these simple changes can instantly improve your meetings:
✅ Set a Clear Agenda – Outline discussion points before the meeting.
✅ Start with Decisions, Not Discussions – If a decision needs to be made, get to it first.
✅ Time-Box Everything – Allocate a strict time limit for each agenda item.
✅ Cancel Unnecessary Meetings – If the purpose isn’t clear, don’t hold the meeting.
✅ End with Action Items – Assign responsibilities and deadlines for follow-ups.
Final Thoughts
Meetings aren’t the problem—bad meetings are. By learning from some of the world’s most successful leaders, we can create meetings that are shorter, sharper, and more impactful.
Which of these techniques will you implement in your next meeting? Let’s make meetings a tool for action, not a waste of time.
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