USE THESE PHRASES TO PROFESSIONALLY SAY “THIS MEETING COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL”
If you’ve ever found yourself walking out of a meeting thinking, “Well, that could’ve just been an email,” you’re definitely not alone. It happens to the best of us—meetings that feel repetitive, unnecessary, or like they barely scratched the surface of what could’ve been communicated in a few bullet points.
And yet, it keeps happening.
While it might not always be wise to say that directly to your boss or team, there are tactful, professional ways to suggest a more efficient approach. If you’re looking for a way to steer future meetings toward inboxes instead of conference rooms, here are some polished phrases that help you do just that—without sounding dismissive or uncooperative.
Try using one of these the next time you’re caught in another meeting that’s teetering on the edge of redundancy:
“Let’s aim to save more time in future discussions by emailing instead”
“Let’s make sure our next meeting only covers things that need to be discussed”
“How about we circle back via email next time?”
“This seemed like something we could have worked through on a quick email thread”
“It seems we’re on the same page, so let’s email to make sure we’re not wasting time”
“Does anyone object if we handle this through email?”
“Let’s summarize this in an email so we can save everyone some time”
“I think we should revisit the frequency of these meetings”
“Unless there’s a clear agenda, let’s update everyone through email”
“I’d love to understand what part of the conversation couldn’t have been in writing”
“Thank you for your time, but let’s discuss when a meeting is and isn’t warranted”
A little diplomacy can go a long way when it comes to reining in meeting overload. These phrases offer a subtle nudge toward more efficient communication—without rocking the boat.
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