Meetings

Meetings are essential for brainstorming and group decision-making, but they often become unproductive Time sinks. Creating an exceptional meeting Culture requires intentionality and clear practices.

Common Meeting Problems

Host Best Practices

Attendee Best Practices

  • Only attend meetings if genuinely interested and can contribute
  • Prepare in advance by reviewing agenda and related materials
  • Actively participate in discussions rather than passively listening
  • Decline meetings when appropriate - it’s better than attending without engagement
  • Read meeting minutes if not attending to stay informed

Update Meetings

  • Progress: what did I accomplish this week?
  • Plans: What tasks am I doing next week?
  • Problems: what is blocking progress?
  • Other: what else should the team know?

Decision Meetings

  • Progress on achieving current quarterly objectives.
  • How the product is being received in the market.
  • How the most important customers are succeeding (or not) using the product.
  • How the team is performing and any people changes needed.
  • Financial position of the company and review of metrics.

Meeting Culture Recommendations

  • Prioritize written Communication for knowledge sharing over meetings
  • Make it culturally acceptable to enter/leave meetings strategically
  • Create a culture where declining meetings without guilt is normal
  • Focus on creating intentional, purposeful meetings rather than habitual ones
  • “The goal of an exceptional meeting culture is to allow for people to constructively decline meetings by fully understanding the consequences of their action”