Meetings are often the bane of existence for a leader. “We do nothing in a meeting, we could have done all of this in an email” is a common perspective for a leader. And they are probably correct. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have meetings. You should, instead, have the right meetings. With the right people. And have them the right way.
The definition of a relationship is someone you spend time with and communicate with. In business, the most effective way to build relationships is through meetings. So, instead of avoiding meetings, we should be focusing on why we are meeting. What is the goal of the business relationship? The meeting should be used to grow the relationship. Communicate ideas, goals, and plans. Resolve issues. Share concerns. A meeting is much better at these things than an email ever will be. So, focus on putting the right people in the meetings, have the right focus, and stay on topic. Everything else can go in an email.