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Meeting Structure

It is very common in companies to have unproductive meetings.

To avoid this situation, there are guidelines we may follow. In particular, we may adopt a clear meeting structure.

There are three essential phases:

  1. The beginning (the divergent zone)
    • Focus is essential at the beginning of the meeting. Be Present!
      • The facilitator ensure the meeting subject[s] are introduced during this phase.
    • Common problem: lack of focus at the beginning
      • Solution: engage participants from the start.
  2. The middle (the groan zone)
    • Do the work during this phase. It may be a simple contribution to a brainstorming or an actual task depending on the meeting scope.
    • To improve the engagement: co-create solutions and align on decisions.
    • Common problem: unstructured work phase leading to rambling discussions.
  3. The end (the convergent zone)
    • Wrap It Up! Not in the sense to only wrap up the meeting room... also the meeting work needs to be wrapped and the meeting outcome should be clear.
    • Common problem: failure to wrap up, resulting in unclear outcomes and commitments.
      • Solution: Ensure clear commitments and next steps at the end.
      • If during the meeting there were planned follow-up actions, this is a good moment to recap them.

Status Meetings - Lean Discussion Meetings​

For status meetings and other meetings with a flexible agenda, this document may not fully apply. The Agenda for an Effective Meeting - Template may help for this particular case.