The Hidden Waste of Leadership: Meetings, Miscommunication, and Missed Opportunities

When leaders think about waste, we usually picture the classic Lean examples: excess inventory on the floor, motion that doesn’t add value, or defects that cause rework. But there’s another form of waste that is less visible and just as costly: leadership waste. 

Leadership waste doesn’t pile up in bins or show up on production reports. Instead, it hides in our calendars, inboxes, and daily routines. It’s the hours spent in unproductive meetings, the endless email threads that never move things forward, and the opportunities missed because leaders are too busy putting out fires. 

The reality? Just like operational waste, leadership waste drains energy, slows progress, and frustrates teams. 

A Lean Lens on Leadership Waste 

In Lean, we use TIM WOODS to describe the eight classic wastes: Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Overprocessing, Defects, and Skills. (If you want a deeper dive into TIM WOODS, we’ve covered that [here—insert HPL link].) 

Those wastes show up most obviously in production and operations. But if we look at leadership through the same lens, it’s clear that waste isn’t just about materials and processes, it’s also about how leaders spend their time and attention. 

Let’s explore three of the biggest culprits. 

1. Meetings: The Overproduction of Leadership 

How many meetings on your calendar this week could have been an email, or dropped altogether? 

Too often, leaders default to meetings as the way to communicate, problem-solve, or show accountability. The result is overproduction: too many meetings, running too long, with no clear agenda or outcome. 

The waste isn’t just in the hours lost. It’s in the energy your team spends preparing, sitting, and context-switching. Every unnecessary meeting pulls focus away from value-adding work. 

Toolkit Tip: 

Only hold meetings with a clear purpose and defined outcomes. 

Keep them as short as possible (stand-up style works even in office settings). 

End every meeting with owners and next steps so there’s no ambiguity coupled with deadline commitments. 

2. Miscommunication: Death by a Thousand Emails 

Think about how many times you’ve typed or read an email chain that stretched to 15 replies and still didn’t produce a decision. That’s miscommunication waste, information that’s vague, fragmented, or simply unnecessary. 

The problem isn’t just email. It’s instructions given without clarity. Goals that shift midstream. Leaders who assume “I mentioned it once” equals alignment. The result? Rework, frustration, and lost trust. 

It’s death by a thousand emails, texts, and half-heard directions. 

Toolkit Tip: 

Use clear, standardized communication. State the purpose, the owner, and the deadline. 

Don’t rely only on email, sometimes a quick conversation prevents hours of confusion. 

Encourage teams to clarify expectations upfront instead of backtracking later. 

3. Missed Opportunities: The Silent Cost of Busyness 

Perhaps the most damaging waste is what leaders don’t do. 

When every minute is spent firefighting, answering emails, or attending back-to-back meetings, leaders lose the chance to coach, recognize, or innovate. These missed opportunities rarely appear on a KPI dashboard, but their impact compounds over time. 

• A leader who doesn’t pause to recognize effort? Morale drops. 
• A leader who never makes time for coaching? Growth stalls. 
• A leader who ignores team improvement ideas? Innovation dries up. 

Toolkit Tip: 

Block time on your calendar for reflection, coaching, and development. 

Ask your team for improvement ideas regularly — and act on them. 

Celebrate progress, not just results. Small wins build momentum. 

A Challenge for Leaders 

Lean isn’t just for operations, it’s a mindset that applies everywhere. Leaders who expect their teams to eliminate waste need to model that same discipline in their own behaviors. 

This week, take a hard look at your own calendar, inbox, and routines. Ask yourself: 

• Which meetings are value-adding, and which could be cut or streamlined? 
• Where are unclear communications creating rework? 
• What opportunities am I missing because I’m too busy reacting? 

The first step to eliminating leadership waste is to see it. The next step is to act. 

Your team and your results will thank you.