I’m gonna pull a Hanson here. What makes you think group meetings are about decision making?
I think the primary goal of many group meetings is not to find a solution to a difficult problem, but to force everybody in the meeting to publicly commit to the action that is decided on. This both cuts off the opportunity for future complaining and disobedience (‘You should have brought that up in the meeting!’) and spreads the blame if the idea doesn’t work (‘Well, we voted on it/discussed it’). Getting to the most effective solutions to your problems is secondary to achieving cooperation within the office.
Most group meetings are power games. Their main purpose is to, forcibly or not, create long-term cooperation by the people in the meeting. This is why they are often ‘dull’, or ‘long’, or ‘ineffective’ - the very cost you incur by attending is a signal of your loyalty and commitment. Trying to change this would make meetings less effective, not more effective.
Survey done, except for the digits ratio question!