Do You Really Need that Meeting?
What's the cost of your consensus and collaboration?
Not every meeting moves the needle.
I talked to Dhruv Agarwal on The Change Story Podcast about flow, and how it can get lost in all the ebbs and eddies of activity across organizations. Without taking stock of the jobs to be done by our rituals, cadences, and interactions we can end the week drained of energy or wondering why we once again got “nothing done”.
We discussed the importance of aligning collaboration with clear value and how value, clarity, and flow, serve as the bedrock for organizations seeking to improve performance. As enterprises navigate complex digital transformations and evolutions, a proactive approach is essential. A stitch in time saves nine. Before the year gets away from you, what would happen if you looked at your ‘collaboration transactions’ to see if you’re in the black or the red each month? It’s a great time to take stock and consider cutting, consolidating, or leveraging technology, particularly AI, to optimize workflows.
Topics
Flow as a Transformative Mindset: The concept of flow can dramatically shift the way your team thinks about work.
Busy vs. Productive: The distinction between being busy and being truly productive is crucial for teams to focus on what matters most.
Collaboration vs. Disruption: Effective collaboration must be evaluated for its actual value rather than simply perceived as a positive force.
Value Stream Mapping: Puts value stream mapping in context as a tool to streamline processes and identify waste.
Value, Clarity, Flow: The trio of value, clarity, and flow works in tandem to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
Managing Stakeholder Perspectives: Aligning diverse stakeholder views and goals can mitigate conflicts and enhance decision-making processes.
AI as an Agent of Change: The integration of AI tools should be handled thoughtfully to avoid adding friction and complexity to established workflows.
Takeaways
Holistic Approach to Flow: Flow should be applied at multiple organizational levels, from individual tasks to large-scale initiatives. This holistic view enables a unified approach to problem-solving.
Focus on Value First: Organizations must prioritize identifying and defining the value they aim to achieve, which serves as the guiding principle for all actions and decisions.
Iterative Mapping: Continually refining value stream maps allows organizations to respond dynamically to process changes and newfound efficiencies, ensuring sustained improvement.
Clarity for Reducing Noise: Achieving clarity within teams and across organizations reduces confusion, enabling staff to focus on high-value tasks rather than being overwhelmed by trivial activities.
Testing Assumptions: It’s crucial for leaders to validate their assumptions about value not just within their perspectives, but by inclusive dialogues with team members to encourage diverse insights.
AI Integration with Governance: As AI becomes increasingly integrated into workflows, establishing clear policies and guidelines is essential to ensure that their application contributes positively to organizational objectives.
Continuous Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture that values ongoing learning, adaptability, and the evaluation of practices empowers teams to continuously enhance both individual and organizational performance.
The episode is out now on all streaming platforms. Have a listen and let me know what you think!
Only 4 days Left to Get 30% off!!
The clock’s ticking—there are only a few days left to lock in 30% off the Flow Engineering course before it goes live on April 15, 2025. If you're part of a large organization and looking to create real momentum in how your teams work and deliver, this is a great opportunity to start a conversation or create common language about performance improvement. The course walks you through the five key mapping methods to help you uncover friction points, align teams, and design smarter ways of working. Whether you're a leader, engineer, product owner, agile coach, or anywhere in the flow of work, you’ll gain a clear, actionable framework to drive meaningful improvements. With expert guidance and real-world examples, you’ll leave equipped to make an impact. Grab the discount while it’s still on the table—your path to better flow starts here.