Meetings that aren't a waste
Most shop meetings are status updates that could be a text message.
Three rules
Every meeting has a written agenda sent before. Every meeting has a decision at the end. Every meeting has a clear owner for each follow-up. If none of those are true, kill the meeting.
The weekly 30
One 30-minute weekly with each direct report. Same time every week. Three questions: what got done, what's stuck, what do you need from me. That single rhythm replaces most ad-hoc fire drills.
Stand-ups
10 minutes max, standing, same time. What you finished, what you're on today, what's blocking. Not a status report, a coordination signal.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.