✅ – Is this a 5-min update or a 45-min brainstorm? Design accordingly. ✅ Respect for prep – Share agendas ahead of time so people aren’t thinking on the spot. ✅ Grace for lag – Tech, thinking, and life happen. Build in buffer. ✅ End early when done – Efficiency is great. Forcing speed is not.

🔁 – Complex problems need reflection, not rushed answers. 🧠 People process at different speeds – Not everyone can answer instantly like an order taker. 🤝 Relationships take time – Good collaboration requires connection, not a timer counting down. ⚠️ Pressure kills nuance – Fast answers often miss context, leading to rework.

For years, it’s been the gold standard for efficiency. Get the car in and out in under 3 minutes (or less). Faster times = better metrics.

Here’s why the drive-thru mindset doesn’t belong in virtual collaboration:

So instead of a “Zoom drive-thru timer,” here’s a better set of goals for virtual meetings:

Drive-thrus are for burgers, not brainstorms. Let’s leave the timers at the window.