The outcome of the meeting determines the need for a meeting.

So – should you have less meetings in 2025?

Check out today’s episode from the vault as friend of the show and Inc. Columnist, Jeff Haden, details three ways leaders can set up their teams for success:

1 – Drive transparency around the promotion process.

2 – Match the proper managers and management styles to the context in which you work. (Think: in-person vs hybrid.)

3 – Limit the number of meetings.

Show Notes:

03:30 Meet Jeff.

05:30 The promotion process, a recent study and what to focus on. Jeff explains the study – employees want effective and fair promotions – whether they were the ones promoted or not.

08:30 The key to making fair and effective promotions? Ask: “What is it this job does?”

12:30 Don’t put a timeline on promotions. Who owns this conversation? Brandon and Jeff discuss giving feedback in the moment. “If anything’s a surprise in the annual review, that’s the leader’s fault.” – Jeff

18:00 Jeff shares what to look for in a manager, both in-person and virtual. Think about the nature of the team.

21:30 “The most forgotten superpower is being nice…[Mark Cuban] But – nice should come with a level of effectiveness.” – Jeff Haden

25:00 Meetings! Why we don’t like ‘em… and how they make us less smart!

29:00 Could vs. Should. Jeff explains the difference based on a recent study.

35:30 Leadership Hack: Jeff meets Mark Cuban. Key takeaway? “Be nice! It only takes a few moments to stop by someone’s desk to say “you did a really good job on ‘x’. And it means the world to them!”

Show Resources:

  • Watch previous shows for more ways to kick off your year in the best way.
  • Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Leadership Foundry Podcast on Apple PodcastsSpotify and Google Play.