Like most of you, I have a cluttered work calendar. The people I meet with are as busy as I am, so even when I’m convening a small group, it sometimes takes weeks to find a time that works. Filling my days with meetings feels necessary and essential: Leadership involves listening to and influencing others, and it’s hard to do that if you’re working in isolation.

A version of this article appeared in the March–April 2023 issue of Harvard Business Review.