Why CEOs Should Limit Meetings for Their Entire Team, According to Jason Feifer

In a recent LinkedIn post, Jason Feifer discusses the critical importance of limiting meetings, not just for top executives but for entire organizations. Feifer uses the example of United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, who caps his own meetings at four hours per day, to highlight a broader principle: strategic thinking requires dedicated, uninterrupted time.

Feifer opens by emphasizing Kirby’s rationale for this meeting limit. As Jason Feifer notes:

“My job is to think hard.” And meetings don’t allow that.

This sentiment immediately resonates with Feifer, who states, “Meetings suck.” However, his analysis quickly moves beyond a simple complaint about inefficient meetings to a call for systemic change driven by leadership.

The CEO’s Role in Setting Meeting Culture

Jason Feifer argues that while not every employee has the same control over their calendar as a CEO, the principle of reducing meeting time can and should be extended throughout an organization. According to Feifer, it is the CEO’s responsibility to cultivate a culture that prioritizes focused work over constant meetings.

Feifer points to an innovative policy implemented by Sarah Kellogg Neff at a previous company as a prime example of this leadership in action. Neff’s policy allowed any employee to opt out of any meeting, even those involving her directly as CEO.

Anyone could choose not to attend a meeting, at any time, even if it was a meeting with her, the CEO.

Feifer frames this policy as a powerful demonstration of trust. As Jason Feifer highlights:

Why? She was telling her team, you know the best way to use your time. Is that not the greatest statement of trust you’ve ever heard?

Empowering Employees Through Time Autonomy

According to Jason Feifer, granting employees greater control over their time, by significantly reducing mandatory meeting attendance, leads to more productive and impactful work. He contends that when individuals are trusted to manage their schedules, they are more likely to allocate their time effectively to tasks that truly drive value, which often lie outside of formal meetings.

Feifer suggests that this trust-based approach fosters an environment where employees can engage in the deep thinking and focused effort necessary for innovation and strategic execution. In his view:

And you better believe, when people can control their time, they’ll make the most of it. And it won’t happen in meetings.

By advocating for CEOs to extend the meeting-limiting principle to their entire teams, Jason Feifer provides a clear roadmap for fostering a more efficient, trusting, and productive work environment. His insights encourage leaders to reconsider the value of uninterrupted work time and to empower their employees with the autonomy to manage it effectively.