
We All Hate Meetings—Here’s How to Make Them Work
From HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review
June 9, 2026 · 26 min · Episode 1082
About this episode
Paul English discusses how to improve meeting culture to enhance productivity and morale in organizations.
Meetings are one of the biggest drains on time, energy, and morale at work, yet most managers are never actually taught how to run them well. Paul English, cofounder of Kayak, argues that organizations underestimate just how costly bad meetings can be. He says meeting culture is one of the most overlooked drivers of productivity, morale, and organizational effectiveness. Drawing on lessons from companies like Amazon, LinkedIn, Airbnb, and Shopify, as well as his own experience building high-performing teams, he explains how leaders can run meetings that create clarity, energy, and better decisions instead of frustration and fatigue. English is the author of the book The Meeting Book: How the Best Companies Meet Better.
People in this episode
Guest: Paul English
Topics covered
- meetings
- productivity
- organizational effectiveness
- leadership
- team management
Keywords
- meetings
- productivity
- leadership
- team management
- organizational culture
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Kayak, Amazon, LinkedIn, Airbnb, Shopify
Books & works: The Meeting Book: How the Best Companies Meet Better
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