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The average employee spends 31 hours a month in unproductive meetings, according to a figure cited by Atlassian. Do you ever get the feeling that the more experienced people you put in a room, the more likely the discussion is to get bogged down?

I think I know why this happens:

• —Nobody has the final say

Everyone’s smart, and everyone is right about something — so nobody wants to act like they know best and say: “We’re choosing this option and moving on.”

• —Fear of responsibility, or “the business should decide”

Every decision carries risk and accountability. So the decision gets postponed until it feels safe, but that moment never arrives. Concerns about responsibility and reputation end up killing decisiveness.

• —Focus on generating options instead of solving the problem

Putting 10 ideas on a whiteboard is easier than picking one and shipping it to production. Hello, paradox of choice and fear of missing a better option.

How do you come out of pointless meetings a winner? Three simple steps:

1. 01Name a decision-maker before the meeting starts

Their job isn’t to “hear everyone out” — it’s to make the call and set the direction.

2. 02Time-box the meeting and define a clear success criterion

In 30 minutes there’s a decision, or the meeting counts as failed.

3. 03Product development rewards speed.

Remind the team: even the first reasonable option is better than never choosing one at all.

Good strategy isn’t about searching for the ideal — it’s about answering two questions honestly: “who’s driving?” and “when do we stop?” Otherwise, the discussion eats up your deadline while competitors eat into your market share.

Is there someone on your team ready to have the final say? If not, maybe it’s time to become that person.