Roya Bloom

Meetings are essential for collaboration, decision-making, and strategy alignment. However, they often become inefficient, dragging on without clear outcomes. By integrating five powerful techniques—the 5/5/5 Method, Swiss Cheese Method, Feynman Technique, Hick’s Law, and Shrinking Theory—you can run meetings that are focused, efficient, and results-driven.

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1. 5/5/5 Method – Prioritize What Truly Matters

The 5/5/5 Method helps you assess the long-term impact of meeting topics before diving into unnecessary discussions.

How It Works in Meetings:

🔹 Before finalizing the agenda, ask:
✔ Will this matter in 5 minutes?
✔ Will this matter in 5 months?
✔ Will this matter in 5 years?

If the topic doesn’t significantly impact the team in the long run, it may not need a full meeting discussion. Instead, delegate, summarize in an email, or push it to a quick follow-up.

✅ Use It: When setting the meeting agenda to eliminate low-priority discussions.

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2. Swiss Cheese Method – Make Progress, Even in Small Steps

Sometimes, meeting action items feel overwhelming, leading to delays in decision-making. The Swiss Cheese Method encourages breaking large tasks into smaller, actionable steps to maintain momentum.

How It Works in Meetings:

🔹 Instead of trying to solve everything in one meeting, break decisions into:
✔ What can be done now? – Quick wins that move the project forward.
✔ What needs research? – Assign tasks to collect data before the next discussion.
✔ What can be delegated? – Distribute action items to reduce bottlenecks.

✅ Use It: To structure meeting follow-ups into bite-sized, achievable goals, ensuring progress between meetings instead of leaving tasks in limbo.

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3. Feynman Technique – Achieve Clarity Through Simplicity

Meetings often get stuck in complex jargon, vague discussions, or unclear explanations. The Feynman Technique, inspired by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, promotes clarity by simplifying information.

How It Works in Meetings:

🔹 When discussing a topic, encourage participants to explain it as if talking to a newcomer:
✔ Avoid technical jargon—stick to simple language.
✔ Ask, “Can we explain this in one sentence?”
✔ If an idea is too complicated, break it down further or use visual aids.

✅ Use It: When making decisions or brainstorming ideas to ensure everyone understands the key points before moving forward.

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4. Hick’s Law – Reduce Choices, Increase Speed

Decision fatigue is a major reason why meetings drag on unnecessarily. Hick’s Law states that the more options people have, the longer it takes to decide.

How It Works in Meetings:

🔹 Instead of leaving discussions open-ended, limit choices before the meeting:
✔ Narrow down options – Instead of discussing 10 solutions, present the top 2-3.
✔ Set clear criteria – Define the decision-making framework in advance.
✔ Use voting or ranking methods – Quickly gauge team preferences to speed up choices.

✅ Use It: To eliminate unnecessary debates and drive faster decisions during meetings.

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5. Shrinking Theory – The Less Time You Give, The More Focused You Are

Meetings expand to fill the time allotted—a concept known as Parkinson’s Law. Shrinking Theory counters this by setting strict time limits to force efficiency.

How It Works in Meetings:

🔹 Instead of defaulting to hour-long meetings, use these strategies:
✔ Cut meeting times in half – If you planned for 60 minutes, aim for 30 instead.
✔ Timebox each agenda item – Assign strict time slots to keep discussions concise.
✔ Use a visible countdown timer – Keep attendees aware of the remaining time to avoid over-explaining.

✅ Use It: To prevent unnecessary discussions and ensure meetings stay on track with clear goals.

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Final Thoughts: Make Meetings Matter

By applying these five techniques, you can transform meetings from time-wasting discussions into productive, goal-driven sessions:

✅ 5/5/5 Method – Prioritize topics that truly matter.
✅ Swiss Cheese Method – Make progress through small, actionable steps.
✅ Feynman Technique – Keep explanations clear and simple.
✅ Hick’s Law – Reduce choices to speed up decision-making.
✅ Shrinking Theory – Shorten meetings to maintain focus.

Start using these strategies today and watch how your meetings become more efficient, engaging, and action-oriented!

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