Most mid-market businesses don’t plateau because of poor strategy. They stall because they can’t execute well. And one of the most overlooked drivers of execution is deceptively simple: having quality, structured meetings.
At SSBG, we see this repeatedly. A business may have a reasonably clear strategic plan, a talented leadership team, and some defined business goals. Yet, six months down the track, progress has stalled. Why? Because the team isn’t meeting in the right way, at the right time, to stay aligned and accountable.
What Kills Execution
When businesses underperform, leaders often look to external factors like market conditions, staffing issues, or competitive pressure. But in my experience, one of the biggest threats to business performance isn’t external at all. It’s hiding in plain sight.
Poorly run or poorly structured meetings are the silent killer of execution.
They waste time, dilute focus, and erode accountability. Worse still, they create a false sense of progress, as if meeting frequently is the same as moving forward. It’s not.
If your meetings lack purpose, structure, or the right rhythm, it’s only a matter of time before execution stalls.
Common Problems with Meetings
Not all meetings are created equal
Far too often leadership meetings are cluttered with operational noise, leaving little space to focus on strategic execution. Worse still, many meetings have:
- No clear purpose for why the meeting exists
- The wrong people in the room (or too many people)
- A lack of focus on key priorities
- No clear ownership of actions or deadlines
- A lack of metrics to measure success
When this happens, time slips by. Quarterly goals go unmet, teams lose focus and the business drifts.
Meetings without rhythm
A healthy meeting rhythm is like a heartbeat for your strategy. It ensures the entire business is focused on the right priorities and executing against them relentlessly. Unfortunately, far too many companies operate without having a structured meeting rhythm in place.
Weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings each serve a distinct purpose. When they work together, they provide a structured environment for:
- Solving real issues
- Tracking the right numbers
- Holding people to account
- Maintaining focus on strategic priorities
I outline the best structure in more detail in this blog: https://ssbg.co.nz/blog/communications-rhythm/.
Add structure with the “who, what, when” rule
Most businesses don’t need more meetings. They need better meetings. That starts with ending every current meeting with three simple answers:
- What needs to be done?
- Who is responsible?
- When will it be completed?
It sounds simple, but I can’t count the number of companies I’ve worked with who don’t do this. And when no one owns the next step, or when it’s not time-bound, it rarely gets done.
Measure what matters (and only what matters)
When it comes to tracking progress, many companies make one of two mistakes: they either track nothing, or they track everything. I recommend focusing on a tight set of 18–22 metrics (depending on business complexity) that are meaningful and actionable.
These should include both lagging indicators (e.g. net profit, project delivery) and leading indicators (e.g. weekly activity, customer engagement). Most importantly, they should be reported consistently in the meeting rhythm.
Poor meetings are costing you more than time
Business leaders often underestimate just how damaging poor meetings can be. They drain energy. They waste resources. And over time, they erode profitability.
Execution failures lead directly to underperformance. If you’re seeing net profit numbers below expectation (or hovering around industry average) poor execution is often to blame. More often than not, that trail leads back to your meeting culture.
Meetings Are Not the Enemy.
If your meetings lack purpose, structure, the right metrics, priorities or the right rhythm, it’s only a matter of time before execution stalls.
Start by asking:
- Are we meeting with purpose?
- Are we structured and consistent?
- Are we holding each other to account?
- Are we tracking the right metrics
If the answer is no, it’s time to rethink your approach. If you are looking to overhaul your meetings and get your execution back on track, contact us for support.
