---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: productivity meetings were just about the…"
description: "\"“productivity meetings were just about the least productive thing ever devised by middle management, and that was saying plenty. Those corporate frat b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg"
---

#  productivity meetings were just about the least productive…

![“productivity meetings were just about the least productive thing ever devised by middle management, and that was saying plenty. Those corporate frat boys were master time-wasters. Their other major skills included ass-covering, blame-shifting, and brownnosing.” quote by Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg)

> ““productivity meetings were just about the least productive thing ever devised by middle management, and that was saying plenty. Those corporate frat boys were master time-wasters. Their other major skills included ass-covering, blame-shifting, and brownnosing.””

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Productivity meetings often waste time and foster blame culture.

**In simple terms:** Meetings can be ineffective and self‑serving.

Key Takeaway

Streamline meetings, focus on outcomes.

Themes

productivity meeting culture management

Mood

critical analytical

Type

observational professional

When to use this quote

- corporate settings
- team meetings
- project planning

Key Concepts

time management organizational behavior

Questions to Reflect On

- When are meetings truly valuable?
- How can you make them efficient?

A Different Perspective

Some meetings are necessary for alignment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Middle management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-management/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/)

## Related quotes

> [I think the most productive thing to do during times of change is to be your best self, not the best version of someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-think-the-most-productive-thing-to-do-during-times-of-change-is-to/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [It's very easy to confuse confident motion with being productive - and they're not the same thing. Productive to me means measurable outcomes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/it-s-very-easy-to-confuse-confident-motion-with-being-productive-and/)

[Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/)

> [“Being busy and being productive are not the same thing. I was living proof of that for two years.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nitin-tyagi/being-busy-and-being-productive-are-not-the-same-thing-i-was-living/)

Nitin Tyagi

> [“Scores climb with titles, from the bottom of the corporate ladder upward toward middle management. Middle managers stand out, with the highest EQ scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-bradberry/scores-climb-with-titles-from-the-bottom-of-the-corporate-ladder/)

[Travis Bradberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-bradberry/)

> [Companies, as they grow to become multi-billion-dollar entities, somehow lose their vision. They insert lots of layers of middle management between the people running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/companies-as-they-grow-to-become-multi-billion-dollar-entities-2/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“contemporary studies show that the worst stress-related health typically occurs in middle management, with its killer combo of high work demands but little autonomy—responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/contemporary-studies-show-that-the-worst-stress-related-health/)

[Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/)

> [“Sound waves, regardless of their frequency or intensity, can only be detected by the Mole Fly’s acute sense of smell—it is a little known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/sound-waves-regardless-of-their-frequency-or-intensity-can-only-be/)

[Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/)

> [“It’s like my dreams were worn away by paper cuts, and at some point I woke up and realized that, ‘Hey, you aren’t going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-e-carr/it-s-like-my-dreams-were-worn-away-by-paper-cuts-and-at-some-point-i/)

R.E. Carr

> [“Companies, as they grow to become multi-billion-dollar entities, somehow lose their vision,” he told Playboy in 1985. “They insert lots of layers of middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/companies-as-they-grow-to-become-multi-billion-dollar-entities/)

[Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/)

> [Schmoozers are brownnosers, sycophants more suited to middle management than to the Wild West of the entrepreneurial world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahl-raz/schmoozers-are-brownnosers-sycophants-more-suited-to-middle/)

[Tahl Raz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahl-raz/)

> [Real management is developing people through work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agha-hasan-abedi/real-management-is-developing-people-through-work/)

Agha Hasan Abedi

> [“I walked the short distance to Nogizaka, then strolled up and down Gaienhigashi-dori. It took awhile, but I finally spotted it. There was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/i-walked-the-short-distance-to-nogizaka-then-strolled-up-and-down/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

> [“When I was a young man I worked for a very good company that was very well run by very nice people who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-bing/when-i-was-a-young-man-i-worked-for-a-very-good-company-that-was-very/)

[Stanley Bing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-bing/)

> [I'm far less bothered by on screen stars earning the big bucks than the legions of middle management behind the scenes at the BBC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/i-m-far-less-bothered-by-on-screen-stars-earning-the-big-bucks-than/)

[Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/)

> [I've been promoted to middle management. I never thought I'd sink so low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gould/i-ve-been-promoted-to-middle-management-i-never-thought-i-d-sink-so/)

Tim Gould

## More by Sean Chercover

> [“Throughout history, the men competing to shape the future had collected lost sheep to use as pawns in their game, cannon fodder in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/throughout-history-the-men-competing-to-shape-the-future-had/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. It was the third of Arthur C. Clarke’s three laws of prediction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/any-sufficiently-advanced-technology-is-indistinguishable-from-magic/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“And truthfully, when microbiologists talk amongst ourselves, off the record after a few glasses of wine, the optimists admit their optimism is more wishful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/and-truthfully-when-microbiologists-talk-amongst-ourselves-off-the/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“Man plans and God laughs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/man-plans-and-god-laughs/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“many people, not just Americans, make the mistake of taking it neat. He explained how Scotch is made, saying, ‘Fer heaven’s sake, we add…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/many-people-not-just-americans-make-the-mistake-of-taking-it-neat-he/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“there’s three sides to every story: yours, mine, and the truth. I can only give you mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/there-s-three-sides-to-every-story-yours-mine-and-the-truth-i-can/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“how he hated the word “homeland”; it sounded just one step shy of “fatherland”—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/how-he-hated-the-word-homeland-it-sounded-just-one-step-shy-of/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“that’s what religion is. A philosophy of coping. It may bring comfort to the dispossessed, but comfort isn’t good for the dispossessed. The dispossessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/that-s-what-religion-is-a-philosophy-of-coping-it-may-bring-comfort/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“To beat your enemy, you must understand what your enemy wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/to-beat-your-enemy-you-must-understand-what-your-enemy-wants/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“But you better know now, it’s the way of life. Everything you love goes away in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/but-you-better-know-now-it-s-the-way-of-life-everything-you-love-goes/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“All that human energy, wasted, in response to the simple fact that we know we are going to die, and we don't know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/all-that-human-energy-wasted-in-response-to-the-simple-fact-that-we/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“A dog doesn’t understand mathematics, but that doesn’t mean mathematics doesn’t exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/a-dog-doesn-t-understand-mathematics-but-that-doesn-t-mean/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“Correlation does not imply causation,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/correlation-does-not-imply-causation/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“there’s gonna be a riot before this thing is over. A riot, or worse. Folks don’t realize how fragile the social order is, I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/there-s-gonna-be-a-riot-before-this-thing-is-over-a-riot-or-worse/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

> [“It isn't about miracles or proof or having God on speed dial. You want to be close to God? Reach down and help your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/it-isn-t-about-miracles-or-proof-or-having-god-on-speed-dial-you-want/)

[Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

[Explore all 42 Sean Chercover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/)

## More Management quotes

> [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/)

Davan Yahya Khalil

> [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/)

[Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/)

[Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/)

> [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/)

Thomas Miller

> [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/)

[Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/)

> [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/)

[Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/)

> [“I had come to Boyne City because I have always been drawn to nature's secrets more than to, say Hollywood's secrets or the secrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langdon-cook/i-had-come-to-boyne-city-because-i-have-always-been-drawn-to-nature-s/)

Langdon Cook

> [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/)

[Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/)

> [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/)

[Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/)

> [Football is a team sport. I'm proud of what I achieved in my career, but I also know that I wouldn't have achieved any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/football-is-a-team-sport-i-m-proud-of-what-i-achieved-in-my-career/)

[Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/)

> [If I told my wife I was going to become a manager she'd say 'sign this then. Don't worry it's only a divorce. Au…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ginola/if-i-told-my-wife-i-was-going-to-become-a-manager-she-d-say-sign-this/)

[David Ginola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ginola/)

> [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

[Browse all 8,379 Management quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“productivity meetings were just about the least productive thing ever devised by middle management, and that was saying plenty. Those corporate frat boys were master time-wasters. Their other major skills included ass-covering, blame-shifting, and brownnosing.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sean Chercover"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/productivity-meetings-were-just-about-the-least-productive-thing-ever/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Management"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/productivity-meetings-were-just-about-the-least-productive-thing-ever/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2e/sean-chercover-15822_management_productivity-meetings-were-just-about-th_733783.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“productivity meetings were just about the least productive thing ever devised by middle management, and that…” — Sean Chercover",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sean Chercover",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“productivity meetings were just about the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/productivity-meetings-were-just-about-the-least-productive-thing-ever/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/productivity-meetings-were-just-about-the-least-productive-thing-ever/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
