Simplify Meetings: Try the Two Pizza Rule

Meetings can either be highly productive or time-consuming bureaucratic marathons, depending on how they are managed. According to Harvard Business Review, executives spend over 23 hours in meetings per week, which translates to 1,196 hours per year. This begs the question, are meetings productive when they consume so much of our time?

The Two-Pizza Rule is a meeting management principle developed by Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and CEO. This principle advocates for limiting the number of attendees to those that two pizzas can feed, primarily no more than eight. In this article, we will dive deep into the Two-Pizza Rule and examine why it is an effective meeting management strategy, its benefits, and how to apply it at workplace meetings.

The Two-Pizza Rule and its Benefits

The Two-Pizza Rule is a stripped-down meeting management framework that distills meetings’ essence into maximum productivity with minimum resource expenditure. When you understand the basic principle behind the Two-Pizza Rule, it becomes easier to see why this principle has numerous benefits. Here are some of the key benefits that teams can enjoy when they adopt this rule:

1. It Increases Interactivity and Decision Making
   The Two-Pizza Rule ensures that everyone in the meeting contributes since the number of attendees is small and manageable. This environment makes for a more actionable and productive meeting. Large meetings, on the other hand, tend to be passive and often end up without addressing the core issue.
2. It Optimizes Time
   Smaller meetings consume less time. When a company follows the Two-Pizza Rule, the teams can enjoy shorter and more targeted meetings that increase productivity. With a shorter meeting schedule, participants can focus their time and energy on other initiatives.
3. Greater Accountability
   The smaller the meeting size, the greater the accountability. By holding fewer people accountable, it’s much easier to ensure accountability amongst the attendees.
4. Enhanced Collaboration
   Smaller meetings tend to encourage collaboration amongst team members. In such meetings, attendees can directly engage in group discussions, efficiently share ideas, and work together to come up with a solution that meets their shared objectives.
5. Facilitates Creativity
   The Two-Pizza Rule helps create an environment where attendees can think more creatively. When people feel they have a platform to air their ideas, they are more likely to participate actively in discussions and explore innovative solutions.

When to Apply the Two-Pizza Rule

While the Two-Pizza Rule has numerous applications, it is essential to understand the right moment when to apply it. Here are some of the essential triggers on when to switch from conventional meetings to the Two-Pizza Rule:

1. Meeting Specific Goals
   If a meeting has specific and well-defined goals, the team should only invite members whose insights are essential in achieving these goals.
2. Limited Time and Resources
   Teams should consider utilizing this rule when they have limited resources or time constraints.
3. Team-Oriented Meetings
   The Two-Pizza Rule is most effective when meeting as a team.

Steps to Implement the Two-Pizza Rule

Implementing the Two-Pizza Rule starts with setting up a meeting management process that involves the following:

1. Determine Your Objective
   The first step is to identify the goal of the meeting. When identifying the goal, it is essential to keep it concise and laser-focused.
2. Identify Essential Attendees
   Inviting only attendees essential to meeting objectives helps attendees feel empowered.
3. Plan the Meeting Agenda
   A well-planned agenda with topics of discussion can help improve attendance since attendees can budget their time accordingly.
4. Apply the Two-Pizza Rule
   The number of people in a meeting should be equivalent to the number of people that two pizzas can feed.
5. Reflect and Optimize
   After the meeting, reflect on the effectiveness of the meeting and refine the process until the team finds a productive and effective meeting management process.

Conclusion

The Two-Pizza Rule’s essence is to foster collaboration and increase productivity by keeping meeting attendance minimal while still stirring up productive discussions. By embracing this rule, you can reduce the unnecessary overhead that meetings bring through time wastage and increased distractions. Applying the Two-Pizza Rule requires planning and coordination, but when ironed out, it can lead to better collaboration, accountability, and improved productivity. Whether you’re running small or big teams, the Two-Pizza Rule can help improve meeting outcomes significantly.