# How to hold meetings

## 1 - Define the purpose of the meeting

There are 2 types of meetings:

1. Status update meetings, where everyone describes their activities.
2. Brainstorming meetings, which involve [thinking of solutions](mind-creativity-how.md) and [making decisions](mind-decisions.md).

Typically, status update meetings are *not* worth the effort.

- In theory, it brings everyone together to discuss the latest news, but in practice it involves most of the members hearing about information that has nothing to do with them.
- On an hourly pay rate, it can also be tremendously expensive to have 10 people idling for an hour.
- However, if everyone is working remotely, it *can* be useful for everyone to meet, but only if everyone is encouraged to speak up.
- If you want status updates, meet with a few people each day for 5-10 minutes at a time.

Everyone should know the purpose of the meeting before attending it.

## 2 - Determine who needs to attend and why

Not everyone should be at each meeting.

- Only have people at the meeting whose individual decisions will be affected by the meeting.
Confirm who is going or not going to the meeting.

- Have a backup plan for non-attenders.

## 3 - Structure the meeting correctly

For a status meeting, save as much time as possible.

For brainstorming meetings, generate as many ideas as possible to increase the likelihood of a practical solution.

If you must perform a status meeting for posterity (e.g., [middle management](mgmt-middle.md)), use Robert's Rules of Order to keep the meeting on track and capture all communications.

Have a plan in mind for how you'll keep everyone focused if any component of the meeting goes too long.

- *Never* let a brainstorming meeting devolve into status updates.

## 4 - Set the time and place for the meeting

Every meeting should focus on the members' questions and concerns.

There's no ideal time that fits everyone's preference:

- People with late-night lifestyles (especially [when they're young](maturity.md)) won't do well in morning meetings.
- Give lunch at afternoon meetings, or set them after lunchtime.
- Everyone is tired and wants to leave in the evening.
- To accommodate latecomers, set the time at an odd time (e.g., 5 minutes after the hour).

Schedule brainstorming meetings at the beginning of the day for everyone to be alert and attentive.

Use the venue to direct the mood:

- To avoid needless distraction, use a standing meeting.
- Give snacks or food to give energy and generate ideas.
- Meeting rooms are often boring, but there are no distractions.
- Meeting at a restaurant or public space can allow a more relaxed environment (especially if it's a mandatory meeting).

Schedule enough time for the meeting, but not too much:

- Whether you make meetings 15-20 minutes or 2 hours, always keep the discussion on-topic.
- If it's a status meeting, it doesn't need to be more than 15 minutes.
- Give extra time for explanations and anticipated discussions.
- While your specific team's needs will vary, make every meeting as short as possible.

## 5 - Send an agenda to everyone before the meeting starts

Without a presentation, most meetings with a shared vision can be over in as little as 20-30 minutes.

Only specify up to 3 agenda items.

- Specify ground rules for the meeting about permissible discussion topics.

Status update meetings:

- At least 24 hours beforehand, send an email out with all the new updates, with the expectation that everyone read it beforehand.
  - Post the agenda and documents on the knowledge base.
- Email to request a status update from members with the deadline of at least a few hours before the meeting itself.
- For dense informational meetings, a 6-page typed evidence-based narrative guides the lecture.

Clarify beforehand who is responsible for the meeting.

- One person is responsible to direct the meeting, which does *not* have to be the manager.
- One of the other members who understands the meeting's purpose is responsible to take notes.

Alternately, hold agenda-less meetings ("lean coffee"):

1. Set up 3 columns with sticky notes:
   1. Topics
   2. Discussing
   3. Discussed
2. Collect the topics, with one issue per note.
3. Each person votes on the issues they want to talk on by placing 2 dots/pins on the topic (which may be both dots on one topic).
4. Reorder the topics according to the votes and start with the highest-ranked one.

## 6 - Keep the meeting on-track

Keep to the meeting's schedule.

- Always start on time, and do *not* stop the meeting to explain to anyone who arrives late.
- Only discuss topics on the agenda, and make a list of followup discussions for any diverging topics.
- If anyone tries to commandeer the meeting, vulnerably explain the importance of discussing it at a different time.
- To avoid endless discussion on a topic only a minority care about, set a timer at the beginning of the topic.
  - At the timer's end, you can then have everyone vote with a thumbs up or down, and give 5 more minutes if the majority votes for it.

Quick status update meetings:

1. Start the meeting by opening up for everyone's questions.
2. Stay closely on-topic and direct all previously articulated questions to the reading material.
3. Conclude the meeting, with the indication that anyone can ask you directly about anything they don't understand or want to discuss.

Long status update meetings:

1. 2 min - praise specific people for exceptional work.
2. 3 min - share meaningful metrics about the team's progress.
3. 20-40 min - each team or member takes turns summarizing how their department has performed.
4. 5 min - communicate upcoming strategies and why the group's actions matter.
5. Give each team or member a task list for the upcoming period.

Brainstorming meetings:

1. If the [culture](people-culture.md) permits, offer 1-2 [drinks](fun-alcohol.md) 15 minutes before the meeting.
2. Tell them at the beginning you want as many ideas as possible, and for everyone to silently submit them without judgment.
3. Read off all the ideas, then give them a second round for them to think of more ideas.
4. After all the ideas have been given, group them based on common themes.
5. If you'd prefer, hold another meeting later in the day with everyone and ask for more ideas.
6. If there are any risks, openly discuss them.
7. Have everyone vote by ranking the options or writing a 1-10 scale for each idea.

For brainstorming meetings with *much* more back-and-forth dialogue, use the Stepladder Technique:

1. Ask all the members to think of a suitable solution to the task or problem long enough beforehand for them to establish an opinion about it.
2. Create a core group of 2 members to discuss the problem.
3. Add another member, who discusses their ideas *before* hearing the other members' thoughts.
4. Everyone discusses their ideas openly.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for all remaining members.
6. Reach a final decision after everyone has presented their ideas.

## 7 - After *every* meeting, clearly specify everything in writing and plan for the future

You can't prove it happened if it's not recorded.

- Written clarification holds people accountable and [protects everyone](legal-safety.md).

Clarify what each person is individually responsible to do.

- Specify deadline dates, times, or expectations for tasks.

Distribute all the notes to everyone.

Track any promises made during the meeting.

If future meetings are unnecessary, take them off the calendar or change their format.