Pacsun's CEO said she cut meetings by 60%, but some of the best discussions have been 4 hours long

Brieane Olson cut down the company's meetings by 60% since becoming CEO at Pacsun.

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Meetings are often treated as the ultimate representation of corporate bureaucracy, leading some execs to try to eliminate them altogether.When Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson stepped up to lead the clothing brand three years ago, she said she worked to reduce the company's overall meeting load by roughly 60%. The move was part of an effort to open up more space for focus, creativity, and execution.Olson told Business Insider she tries to make sure meetings are purposeful and productive for everyone in the room. She added that not every conversation needs to be a meeting and that part of leading the company means knowing when smaller discussions, quick decisions, and written communication can be more efficient."I'm here in service to my team. So, the meetings have to be useful to them and I want to make sure that I'm present," said Olson, who recently published the leadership book "Co-Created" about the brand.A balanceOlson said that while meetings should have a goal, the path to getting there is not always linear, especially when teams are working through strategy, innovation, or long-term planning."It's important to be clear on the topic and the outcome," Olson said. "But how you get there might not be as direct as you think."Even though she's cut down the number of meetings overall, she said she believes certain conversations can still benefit from live discussion, especially when teams are solving problems, brainstorming ideas, or debating strategy.