Small Groups of Smart People Outperform Big Committees—Every Time

A marketing team faced a product launch that had everyone excited—and what followed was an endless parade of status meetings. Twenty people on one Zoom. Half didn’t speak, others derailed the agenda, and nothing actually got done. Frustration grew, and the project slowed.

Finally, one manager stepped in. She cut the group to five, keeping only those who would take action or make final decisions. Meetings became short, focused, and interactive: 'What’s our goal? Who’s responsible?' Feedback was instant. There were fewer powerpoints, more whiteboard sketches. The CEO, once a distant figure, attended a couple of check-ins and made a key call on the product direction in real time.

Over several weeks, the smaller team finished their tasks ahead of schedule, avoided the slow, painful review cycles, and delivered a launch the client called their best ever. Interestingly, people left the big group meetings feeling drained, but the small group reported higher satisfaction and even a sense of ownership.

Behavioral science supports this dynamic. Social loafing—the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when in a large group—disappears in focused, accountable teams. And a flatter structure leads to higher engagement and clearer results.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by bloated meetings or overstuffed group chats, take charge by trimming your next team to just the key people who will actually do the work. Politely but firmly explain that you're keeping things lean for focus and speed, not as a judgment. Make sure the real decision maker is in the loop early, and replace showy, formal meetings with crisp working sessions. When you see how much faster things get done—and how much stronger your results are—you’ll wonder why you ever tolerated the big, slow committee in the first place.