Creating a "Thinking" Organizational Culture - Going from Transactional to Transformational

 

Creating a "Thinking" Organizational Culture; Going from Transactional to Transformational; One Meeting at a Time 

In many organizations, meetings have become transactional—a routine of information-sharing, status updates, and slide presentations where uninterested attendees multitask, glance at their phone, and skim through emails while half-listening. 

The result is that THIS becomes a norm and when you get people into a room to solve problems, discuss strategy, brainstorm and Think ... many of them still behave passively as if it was just another meeting. 

But true leadership and strategic decision-making don’t happen in transactional meetings. They happen in THINKING meetings.

The Thinking Meeting

A Thinking Meeting is where leaders and teams engage in deep discussions, challenge perspectives, explore new ideas, and work through complex problems. It’s a space for gray matter scratching, where critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration drive transformation. 

An organization runs on Transactional Meetings (information sharing, status updates etc) while it GROWS through the Thinking Meetings. 

The Significance of No-Device Meetings

One of the biggest barriers to Thinking Meetings? Devices. Phones and laptops fragment attention, disrupt focus, and dilute the quality of discussions. Phones have all sorts of distractions including whatsapp and social media alerts while Laptop has Outlook with emails popping in every moment and other pending tasks. When leaders set the tone for No-Device Meetings, they create a culture where people are fully present, listen actively, and contribute meaningfully.

The Hand-written Note-Taking & Note-Making 

Use Notepads Instead of devices or AI. Writing notes by hand improves retention, enhances engagement, and keeps the team tuned in. Handwriting triggers a better connection with the Head as well as Heart so you have a deeper participation when people make hand written notes rather than a device. AI tools can capture what was discussed well so definitely make use of them for the minutes of the meeting BUT use your individual note-taking to capture 'what you thought' about what was being discussed. These prove far more valuable than the AI notes. 

Building a Thinking Meetings Culture

1. Set the Meeting MODE: Right in the Meeting Invite, define whether a meeting is Transactional (info-sharing, slides, reports) or Thinking (strategic problem-solving, brainstorming, decision-making). A simple “Thinking Meeting – No Devices” note in the invite sets expectations in advance. Reiterate this (to remind) in the first 2 minutes of the meeting to set the stage for further conversation. 

2. Enforce No-Device Meetings: Leaders must lead by example—when strategic decisions are on the table, devices should be off the table. Take action to switch the mode. For a Thinking Mode meeting, remind attending members and get laptops closed and phones kept face-down on a different table/chair (kind of out of easy reach). This physical 'closure and distancing' of devices sends a strong message and triggers the change in the room. 

3. Reinforce Through Repetition: Cultural shifts take time. A few reminders, a little enforcement, and soon, deep-focus meetings become the norm.

The Transformation:

When organizations shift from a "Meeting Culture" to a "Thinking Culture," they unlock better ideas, smarter decisions, and greater innovation. A company’s future isn’t shaped by how many meetings it has—but by the quality of thinking that happens within them.

Is your team caught in a cycle of transactional meetings? 

What steps can you take to make your meetings more focused and meaningful? 

Would love to hear your experience. 

#CoachHemant #ThinkingCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #GrowthMindset