JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon says meetings hold back a company — but if they have to happen, there are certain strategies leaders should follow to maximize productivity.
Dimon said CEOs should “kill meetings” because they are “an example of what slows us down” in his yearly letter to shareholders, which was made public on Monday. The CEO of JPMorgan noted that if meetings are held, they should be led by a designated individual and should begin and end on time.
Dimon also stated that meetings should “always” start with a set purpose and end with a follow-up list of points to consider moving forward. Only people who need to be at the meeting should attend.
In addition, there shouldn’t be a “meeting after the meeting” where an executive privately says something to Dimon that he couldn’t say in front of the group.
Written by Dimon, “That is not acceptable,” “Do not bother. Be open and honest with your coworkers.
According to Dimon, participants should read any pre-reading and give the information “100%” of their attention in order to get ready for the meeting. Dimon suggested avoiding jargon when speaking in meetings, saying he would rather use plain language.
He advises being present and turning off notifications during the meeting.
Dimon wrote, “I constantly see people in meetings who are reading emails or who are receiving notifications and private texts.” “This must end. It is rude. Time is wasted.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon. Photo Credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Dimon has expressed his annoyance with meetings in the past.
During a recent meeting, Dimon said in a town hall that was leaked in February that remote workers were looking at their notifications while he spoke. In an interview with the Stanford Graduate School of Business last month, he related the same tale.
The annual shareholder meeting has “devolved into mostly a showcase of grandstanding” and “spiraling frivolousness,” according to Dimon’s message to shareholders last year.
In his 58-page letter to shareholders, Dimon also discussed JPMorgan’s accomplishments in 2024, such as providing services to more than 775,000 small business owners in Texas, and managerial advice, such as treating everyone with respect.
According to Dimon’s letter, JPMorgan has 320,000 employees and is valued at approximately $700 billion. Since 2006, Dimon has served as the bank’s CEO.