Behavioral Grooves Podcast You’re Right - Meetings Are the Worst | Don Kieffer
Oct 6, 2025
Don Kieffer, a former factory leader and co-author of "There's Got to Be a Better Way," delves into the pitfalls leaders face when relying on common sense. He passionately argues that meetings can be the worst form of organizational abuse, calling for a shift to dynamic work design. By partnering frontline workers with experts, creating visibility in workflows, and experimenting with solutions, organizations can enhance adaptability and efficiency. Kieffer even likens effective teamwork to jazz, where structure and improvisation spark innovation.
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Common Sense Misleads Leaders
- Common sense often misleads leaders because short-term signals hide long-term consequences.
- Don argues dynamic work design lets organizations be both highly efficient and adaptable.
See Work Before Setting Targets
- Go see the work where it happens before prescribing solutions or targets.
- Connect to the people doing the work to base decisions on real practice, not assumptions.
How A Partnership Began
- Don met MIT social scientist Nelson Repenning after he reinvented a stage-gate process at Harley-Davidson.
- Their partnership began when Nelson challenged Don's approach and wanted to study why it worked.
