We’re drowning in a sea of meetings. I call it The Talking Heads Syndrome—a pandemic of endless discussions where nothing gets done. We’ve even reached the stage where we stare at a gallery of wobbling heads, blabber on about something while we pet our dog, camera off.
Businesses across industries are caught in this counterproductive cycle. They fill their calendars with calls, brainstorming sessions, and “alignment” meetings, but somehow, at the end of the day, nothing has been achieved. Just a lot of talk and even more frustration.
Meanwhile, the world marches forward. Customers don’t care about your strategic roadmap or your Q3 alignment session—they care about tangible results. Yet the problem persists. Many businesses are too busy preparing to act instead of actually taking action.
Why?
- They overthink everything. Instead of acting, they analyse every detail to death.
- They hold endless Talking Heads meetings. Everyone talks, debates, and discusses but no one actually does anything.
- They draft endless reports. Some companies spend more time documenting elaborate plans than executing even the simplest steps.
Let’s talk about the obsession with reports, which are like a virus spreading unchecked through businesses. Some companies treat reporting like it’s an actual deliverable, infecting their workflows with weekly updates, monthly reviews and year-end strategy decks that no one reads. If reports led to results, entire industries would be thriving. But they aren’t—because a PowerPoint presentation never changed the world. Action does.
And then there’s red tape – the ultimate superbug, resistant to innovation. It’s the Enemy of Progress, mutating into “processes” and “approval chains” that stifle momentum. If you want to get something done, expect to fight this strain of bureaucratic resistance at every turn.
Corporate hacks
- Ask for forgiveness, not permission. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is just to do it. Bold moves often yield quicker results than waiting for endless approvals.
- Trim the approval chain. If five people need to sign off on something simple, you have a problem. In PR especially, while you are waiting for green lights, today’s hot news becomes yesterday’s stories.
- The “No Meeting” Rule – If it can be an email, make it an email. If it can be a phone call, make it a phone call. If it can be a one-line message, send the message already.
- The Deadline Execution Challenge – Forget weeks of “strategising,” – force yourself to launch something (anything) within 24 hours. I always advise clients to pick a date and work backwards from that date. You’ll be amazed at what a ticking clock can inspire.
- The Mark Twain test (Why say metropolis, when city will do?) – If your message is too complex, it’s probably too complicated for your customers. Simplicity wins.
- The “Two-Page Rule” – If your strategy document exceeds two pages, it’s a research paper, not a strategy. Keep it short, sharp, and actionable.
At the end of the day, business isn’t about looking busy—it’s about making things happen. And making things happen takes less talk, more action.
PR, marketing, strategy—it’s all a long road that builds credibility and authenticity over time. There are no shortcuts, no “growth hacks” to replace rolling up your sleeves and doing the work. So, commit to the journey. The results will follow—not because you had the best report, but because you did something.
Or, as Elvis put it:
“A little less conversation, a little more action.”