Meetings are not work, says Southwest Airlines CEO—and he’s taking action, by blocking his calendar every afternoon from Wednesday to Friday

Core Insights - Business leaders, including Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan, are expressing concerns that excessive meetings are hindering actual work productivity [1][5] - Jordan emphasizes the need for leaders to protect their time and focus on essential tasks, aiming to keep his calendar clear on specific days to facilitate this [2][3] - The airline industry, despite challenges, has seen Southwest Airlines report a surprise profit, with its stock price increasing by approximately 23% year-to-date [4] Meeting Dynamics - A significant number of employees, nearly 80%, report feeling overwhelmed by the volume of meetings, which leaves little time for productive work, with 72% of meetings considered ineffective according to a 2024 Atlassian study [6] - The pandemic has exacerbated the issue, as meetings became a substitute for in-person interactions, leading to calendar overload [5] - In response, some executives are actively reducing or eliminating meetings, although experts caution that completely removing meetings could diminish organizational belonging [7] Effective Meeting Strategies - Experts suggest that not all meetings should be eliminated; rather, the focus should be on removing ineffective and time-wasting meetings [8]