Executives Have Limited Meetings to Boost Productivity

Corporate leaders are restricting scheduled meeting time to prioritize work and eliminate workplace distractions.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Remote Work

Bold vector editorial illustration of a classic hourglass on a minimalist desk, representing the reclamation of productive work time. — Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi and other U.S. business leaders are curtailing meeting schedules to curb workplace distractions and improve operational focus. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe excessive meetings hinder your ability to get work done?

Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi and other major U.S. executives are cutting back on scheduled meetings to prevent calendars from overwhelming their daily objectives. This shift follows data suggesting that most workplace meetings are ineffective and often result in a cycle of creating additional meetings.

Why it matters

Leaders are increasingly prioritizing deep work over constant collaboration to avoid burnout and prevent the confusion of busyness with effective leadership. By limiting time spent in sessions, companies aim to ensure that actual work remains the primary focus of the business day.

Atlassian's 2024 survey found 75% of meetings are ineffective, with 77% of respondents noting that sessions only generate more meetings. Additionally, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has implemented a cap of four hours of meetings per day.

The players

Ali Ghodsi

He is the CEO of Databricks who implements standing morning meetings to manage company bottlenecks.

Scott Kirby

He is the CEO of United Airlines who has set a strict four-hour daily limit on meetings.

Jamie Dimon

He is the CEO of JPMorgan Chase who requires pre-reads and bans devices to improve meeting quality.

Bob Jordan

He is the CEO of Southwest Airlines who has publicly criticized the tendency of leaders to confuse busyness with leadership.

Atlassian

It is a software company that researches and publishes data regarding workplace efficiency and team communication.

The details

Ali Ghodsi holds a standing meeting at 8 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to identify bottlenecks, while Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase now requires pre-reads and prohibits device use to streamline decision-making. These executives are actively compressing their calendars to avoid becoming slaves to back-to-back scheduling.

In 2024, Atlassian conducted a survey on meeting effectiveness.
In December 2025, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan spoke at The New York Times summit.

Market Landscape

The current executive push to restrict meeting volume follows the pattern established by the 2024 Atlassian study which identified high levels of meeting ineffectiveness. This trend reflects a broader corporate shift toward streamlining internal operations to maintain a competitive advantage in workforce output.

Employees may notice changes in their daily schedules as management adopts stricter rules for meeting requirements and pre-meeting preparation. These policies could result in more time available for focused project work but may require staff to adjust their workflow to accommodate new submission and reading deadlines.

The takeaway

Effective time management requires leaders to intentionally reject the habit of back-to-back scheduling to preserve space for deep thought. Workers can implement these same principles by setting their own "do not disturb" blocks to prioritize primary tasks over reactive communication.