Meetings are one of the hidden costs of management work.
The problem is not simply the number of meetings. The problem is when a meeting does not lead to a decision, problem resolution or concrete action.
Before inviting people, ask:
“Do we need a live conversation, or would a message or document be enough?”
If the purpose is only to share information, a meeting may not be the best option.
A good objective is:
“Make a decision about the launch date.”
A weak objective is:
“Discuss the project.”
Participants should know why they are attending.
Every additional participant increases the cost of the meeting.
The agenda should answer:
Every meeting should have:
The manager should make room for different perspectives.
You can say:
“Let's pause and hear from the other people in the room.”
Not every discussion needs an immediate decision.
But if a decision is the purpose, make that explicit:
“We have three options. Let's make the decision now.”
The meeting should clarify:
what + who + when
A useful format is:
Decisions: …
Actions: …
Deadlines: …
Open topics: …
AI can help:
After the meeting, ask:
If all three answers are yes, the meeting probably achieved its purpose.
An effective meeting is not one where people simply talk a lot.
It is one where people gain clarity, make the right decisions or know exactly what happens next.
As long as necessary to achieve the objective. Do not automatically book an hour if 30 minutes is enough.
For working and decision-making meetings, an agenda is highly useful.
It can help prepare agendas, summarize discussions and create action items.
Decisions, actions, owners, deadlines and open issues.
An AI assistant and manager's notebook: records 1:1s, creates summaries and keeps track of agreements.
Get it on Google Play →
Sidekick