According to Mark Cuban, that meeting could have easily been handled through an email. The billionaire investor, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, well-known personality on “Shark Tank,” author, and father of three, values his time immensely. He firmly believes that meetings are the primary work habit that hampers people’s productivity and devours their time.
During a conversation on Fireside, an interactive streaming platform he co-founded, with bestselling author Chris Voss, Cuban expressed his opinion on the prevalence of excessive meetings and calls. He described them as wasteful and highlighted their capacity to consume substantial amounts of time.
Cuban’s dedication to taking control of his own time is evident. This mindset, in part, fueled his drive to achieve success. He perceives meetings as a hindrance to managing his schedule autonomously.
His daily routine starts at 6:30 a.m., where he begins by addressing emails, having breakfast, and engaging in a workout before delving into his workday. Given his hectic schedule, effective time management is paramount to his accomplishments.
Cuban emphasized that he only participates in meetings when it’s necessary to reach a decision or if no alternative exists, a principle he applies similarly to phone calls. He noted that many meetings veer off track due to trivial conversations like discussing snacks or asking about family well-being, diverting attention from a productive agenda.
In a 2019 survey conducted by organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry, over half of the employees polled considered meetings as disruptions that hindered their work progress.
The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated this issue. Physical conference rooms were replaced by virtual Zoom calls, and quick desk visits for questions turned into gatherings on platforms like Microsoft Teams or Slack. Consequently, the proliferation of meeting platforms led to an increase in the number of meetings being held. Microsoft’s research indicated that people now engage in three times more Teams meetings per week compared to February 2020.
Cuban has long been a critic of excessive meetings. He shared an anecdote from early in his career when he would remove chairs from the conference room to ensure attendees remained standing during meetings. This approach, though not a lasting policy, amusingly expedited discussions.
Despite this, Cuban’s preference remains communicating business matters through email. This approach offers him the flexibility to respond at his convenience, even during late hours, and allows him to manage his interactions on his terms, without having to synchronize with others’ schedules.