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Great Meetings

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Problem: Without clear goals, meetings can waste time and leave people confused.

Solution: Make every meeting have a set agenda, take live notes, and keep it short to stay focused and efficient.

Intro:

Although our system emphasizes asynchronous workflows, it also recognizes the importance of some synchronous discussions in organizational operations. Well-structured meetings can amplify efficiency and productivity by making the most of shared time, so meetings should go beyond mere conversation. They should be a resource for decision-making and tasks that benefit from immediate feedback and collaboration across teams.

Tools:

  • Any discussions that could be handled asynchronously—such as one-way presentations, announcements, reporting, and brainstorming—should be managed outside of meeting time. We recommend the frequent use of async video software like Loom, as well as shared documents like Google Docs.
  • Clear guidelines for meeting management and participation help ensure that time spent in meetings is valuable, while also reducing meeting fatigue across the organization.
  • These guidelines include practices such as
    • 25- or 50-minute “speedy meetings,”
    • Mandatory agendas,
    • Live documentation with thorough note-taking.
  • To foster clearer, more customer-focused decisions, consider replacing slide decks with detailed written narratives.
    • Written formats encourage team members to think deeply, analyze thoroughly, and articulate ideas with precision.
    • When everyone reviews a well-structured document, it allows them to dive into key details, ask critical questions, and align on decisions without the distraction of visual presentations.
  • Here’s why written narratives transform meetings into powerful, decision-driven sessions:
    • Clarity and Depth: Written documents demand clear, structured thinking. They help the presenter articulate complex ideas fully, while readers gain a nuanced understanding of the topic before the discussion even begins.
    • Customer-Centric Decisions: By focusing on structured written analysis, team members can explore how ideas and projects impact the customer experience. The format prioritizes insights and action plans over visual aesthetics, keeping the focus on customer value.
    • Engagement and Understanding: A shared, written narrative allows everyone in the meeting to review the information at the same pace, leveling the playing field for discussion and feedback. This creates a culture of inclusivity and shared understanding, as each attendee absorbs the same information without missing context or detail.
    • Improved Retention and Accountability: Written records create a detailed history of discussions and decisions. This helps everyone remember the “why” behind choices and offers a valuable reference for future work, making accountability and follow-up easier.
  • Effective 1-1 meetings are held weekly and limited to 30 minutes—time management matters to us all.
    • These sessions are designed to deepen connection, align on priorities, and remove roadblocks, especially crucial in a remote work environment.
    • Preparation and respect for everyone’s time are non-negotiables.
  • Planning ahead is key to maximizing sync time. Before each 1-1, the Senior Manager should add a few priority items to the agenda. These can include:
    • Announcements: Relevant updates not included in the general announcements.
    • Weekly Questions: Issues or insights from the past week, added to the 1-1 document to minimize interruptions.
    • Feedback: Open, actionable feedback can always be provided; there’s no cap here.
  • To streamline discussions, we recommend segmenting agenda items into “Verbalize” (discussed live) and “Read-Only” (reviewed asynchronously).
    • Only “Verbalize” topics are covered during the meeting; “Read-Only” items are noted and responded to async, as appropriate.
  • Action items are tracked on Issue Boards instead of the 1-1 document. This is because of:
    • Collaboration: Async discussions focus on actionable items.
    • Transparency: Priority labels and due dates make task importance and deadlines visible.
    • Efficiency: Visual tracking on Issue Boards simplifies management for both Engineering and Senior Managers.
  • 1-1s also create space for specific feedback, segmented by type:
    • Appreciation: Acknowledging high-quality work.
    • Evaluation: Clarifying any gaps between expectations and current results.
    • Coaching: Offering guidance on skills or behaviors to develop further.
  • Meeting Protocols
    • Agendas First: Every meeting has a clear agenda, stored centrally.
    • Prioritization: Topics are ordered by importance.
    • Notes In-Line: Capture notes directly within the agenda for easy reference.
    • Ask the most junior people in the room to speak first whenever possible.