Write things down, have better meetings

Most meetings are useless. People sit down, discuss a topic, or 1000, since often there isn’t even a clear agenda. No one takes notes, so in the end of the discussion, no one remembers exactly what happened, and what they’re supposed to do about it. You get the picture.

Complex problems require complex thinking. That sort of thinking is usually individual.

A better way to collaborate is to, individually, write down what are the outcomes you want for the meeting, and all your thoughts about the topic. Send this document to all the participants, and ask them to comment.

Once you get to the actual meeting, everyone is already on board with the problem and a potential solution. you’re discussing an argument that was well built, with enough time for reflection. Once you decide to do something, there’s already a document describing the solution.

Write stuff down more, have more directed meetings.