Why 50% of Meetings Fail: The Missing Link is Action Items
Meetings are expensive. If you don't have clear action items, you're burning money. Here's why notes aren't enough.
Why 50% of Meetings Fail: The Missing Link is Action Items
You walk out of a meeting feeling good. "Great discussion," someone says. Two weeks later, you realize nothing has changed. The project is stalled.
Why? Because you had a discussion, not a decision. And definitely not an action plan.
The Illusion of Progress
Talking feels like work. It releases dopamine. But talking isn't executing. Without clear meeting action items, a meeting is just a podcast you were forced to record.
The 3 Deadly Sins of Bad Meetings
- No Owner: "We should do X." (Who is "We"?)
- No Deadline: "Let's get this done soon." ("Soon" is not a date.)
- No Record: "I'll remember it." (No, you won't.)
How to Fix It
Stop taking "notes". Start tracking actions. Every meeting must end with:
- What?
- Who?
- When?
If you can't answer those three questions, the meeting failed.
Automate the Process
Don't rely on memory. Use tools like ActionAfter to automatically extract action items, assign owners, and set deadlines from your meeting recordings.