An estimated INR 4.5 Million* is lost purely on poor collaboration, meetings in a company. The cost of delayed execution and customer, dissatisfaction is on top of the above. Working from home and from remote locations inflame these inefficiencies. This is the most common problem faced by the majority of companies as per our research. Our findings suggest over 35% of meeting time is wasted and unproductive. Some of the large companies have a process, tools, and even training to address these inefficiencies. However, we found that it is not solving the problem from the root and rather solving the symptoms. The key questions is: What is the Root cause and what can be done to address it. Before I detail it out, let me ask you a question, do you agree with me that each of us has a preferred style of thinking, learning, and interacting

1. | www.leaderonomics.com Meeting Inefficiencies
Growing People into Leaders . Building Communities of Love . Transforming the Nation
An estimated INR 4.5 Million* is lost purely on poor collaboration, meetings in a company. The cost
of delayed execution and customer dissatisfaction is on top of the above.
Working from home and from remote locations inflame these inefficiencies. This is the most
common problem faced by majority of companies as per our research. Our findings suggest over
35% of meeting time is wasted and unproductive. Some of the Large companies have a process,
tools and even trainings to address these inefficiencies. However, we found that it is not solving the
problem from the root and rather solving the symptoms. The key questions is: What is the Root
cause and what can be done to address it. Before I detail it out, let me ask you a Question, do you
agree with me that each of us has a preferred style of thinking, learning, and interacting.
If your answer to above question is Yes, then expecting all of us to normalizing our behavior in
meetings and collaboration session consistently day in and out is unreasonable and unsustainable
request.
The trainings, tools, processes is very important and required however the impact and results will
not fully optimize.
Do we have a solution to this problem?
Yes. The focus should not be normalizing the behavior, the focus should be on three parts
1. Raising situational awareness, 2. Increasing adaptability, and 3. Execution. All of it done
simultaneously and not sequentially.
Situational Awareness
Adaptability
Execution
Training,
Tools and
Processes
Productivity Loss due to Inefficient Meetings
by Dr. Parthiban Vijayaraghavan

2. | www.leaderonomics.com Meeting Inefficiencies
Growing People into Leaders . Building Communities of Love . Transforming the Nation
Let me share a true case study to explain this.
We were solving collaboration issues of a team for one of our clients. The team consisted of 7
members. We did our primary assessment of their personality and then plotted them out in a chart.
In this team, two folks are highly analytical, one is a driver, one is amiable, and three were
expressive.
This is what happened in Actual Meetings / Collaborations. Each participant was operating and
working in their preferred styles, despite having clear shared goals and objectives. Subconsciously
each participant preferred their style and stuck with it. So many meetings went on longer than
scheduled because each of them trying to operate in their zone and trying to comprehend,
communicate from their point of view.
Situational Awareness
Adaptability
Execution
Highly
Effective
Meetings and
Collaborations
2 1
1 3

3. | www.leaderonomics.com Meeting Inefficiencies
Growing People into Leaders . Building Communities of Love . Transforming the Nation
Solution:
To run meetings and collaborations highly effective, engaging, and outcome based. Instead of
pulling, one need to be situationally aware and be adaptive to each other’s style. By increasing both
adaptability and situational awareness, instead of focusing themselves, now the focus is turned into
Team and try and come to a middle point. Because each team member is making an effort to come
to a middle point, this is sustainable and effective. Let me illustrate with an example
For Analytical type of person to present data / comprehend data he or she will fall on a scale of 1 –
10 (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest), he/she would be somewhere around 9/10. For an
expressive style of person he or she would be somewhere 1 – 2.
Both should try to come to 5, instead of only 1 person tries
For example, an Amiable person needs to step up and be assertive at times. Expressive needs to
tone down and speak with some facts and data also allow others to speak. Analytical needs to add
more variety to their points by painting a picture. A driver needs to be more sensitive to being overly
directive and authoritarian and learn to be relational and empathetic.
2 1
1 3
Expressive Analytical
Expressive Analytical

4. | www.leaderonomics.com Meeting Inefficiencies
Growing People into Leaders . Building Communities of Love . Transforming the Nation
In most training, there is an immense focus on processes and tools, tools like RAPID, RACI, and many
more while they are great ones however when it comes to execution it faces setbacks. Before
implementing such tools and processes. It is important to help individuals to raise awareness and
increase adaptability. Improving adaptability cannot be done as a single intervention, it needs to
be done over a journey with the help of experts and a well-designed earning plans along with
collaborative learning platform.
Let me know, if you want to know more about this and how this can be achieved, I will be happy to
share with you.
* Our research includes using literature/paper reviews, interviews/discussions, and data analysis of information from participants. The
number represents of a company size of 100 employees with an average 2 meetings/collaborations in a day of 1 hour each.
2 1
1 3