In a survey of senior managers conducted by HBR, 71% said their work meetings are unproductive and inefficient. Thankfully, if you’re in a similar boat, there are many ways to improve the situation! And chief among them is ensuring you hold the correct types of meetings in the first place.
Contrary to some organizational approaches, not all meetings are made equal. There are numerous distinct formats to choose from, each with its own purpose and related structure, guest list, and format. Understanding the options should help you organize the type best suited to your needs. With that goal in mind, here’s everything to know about 8 of the main meeting types.
1. Team cadence meetings
Cadence meetings take place regularly to align teams around their goal(s), update everyone on progress/problems/changes, and facilitate forward momentum. Done well, they also boost trust, reinforce a sense of belonging to the group, and strengthen a shared sense of connection to team goals.
This isn’t the time for big revelations or surprises. The point is to keep a team connected and on track rather than inspire any major changes. These meetings follow a set pattern and thus shouldn’t require excessive planning.
Purpose:
The intent behind team cadence meetings is threefold: you want to drive results, ensure everyone’s happy and working well together, and provide clarity around the next steps. By the end, attendees should a) know what they’re doing, b) be aware of any obstacles to their work, c) understand how to address any problems they’re facing, and d) know of the team’s successes and setbacks.
Participants and Format:
These meetings bring together established teams. They’re usually led by whoever’s in charge, but anyone in the group could feasibly fulfill this role. Try to maximize collaboration from attendees to drive optimal outcomes.
Examples:
- Daily huddles
- Weekly team meetings
- Shift-change meetings
- Sales/marketing team check-ins
2. Progress check meetings
As its name suggests, a progress check meeting involves assessing, confirming, and updating attendees on the progress of a particular project or initiative. It’s designed to bring everyone up to speed with how things stand by presenting them with all relevant information. You might also address any obstacles that have occurred and cover what’s going to happen in the next phase of the project.
Purpose:
Progress check meetings have two main purposes. First and foremost, they make everyone aware of the project’s status in order to maintain and renew momentum. Endless setbacks can ensue if people are unaware of where things stand in the timeline. Likewise, if problems have arisen, everyone should know about them and make a plan to remedy the situation.
Secondly, these meetings hold people accountable. They reassure attendees that everyone else is doing what they said they would. If issues arise, the host asks what’s impeding progress and ensures each party has what they need to perform effectively in the coming weeks.
Participants and Format:
These meetings should involve everybody working on the project. They’re led by the account or project manager, who encourages participation in a fairly structured, pragmatic manner. Progress checks revolve around factual updates and problem-solving. As a result, they can get boring fast. Maintain engagement by setting a tight agenda, staying on -rack during the session, and keeping things short and sweet.
Examples:
- Project status meetings
- Sprint demos
- Client check-ins
3. One-on-One meetings
A one-on-one meeting is a gathering of just two people who have an established relationship. It can serve numerous functions, such as checking in with one another in a private setting, obtaining and giving feedback, improving the relationship, defining career goals, and solving problems in a safe space.
Purpose:
The purpose of one-on-ones can vary significantly. For example, a new employee might meet with their manager to discuss how they’re getting on. Another may have a one-on-one to resolve a conflict that’s happened with a co-worker. And a third could involve a coaching session to learn more about a given discipline.
In general, though, the specific topics covered in these types of meetings fall into one of three categories: development (personal or career-related), holding people to account, and maintaining relationships.
Participants and Format:
One-on-ones typically involve two people at different levels within a company. That said, it’s also common for managers and business owners to meet with clients in the same capacity. In either case, the quality of the relationship between participants plays a key role in the meeting’s success – especially when discussing problems specific to one individual’s work.
Whether they follow a set agenda or not (there’s no set rule), one-on-ones tend to be conversational in nature. Unlike other types of meetings that follow a rigid structure, these are free-flowing discussions that center on a given topic.
Examples:
- One-on-ones between the boss and employees
- Performance reviews
- Coaching and mentorship meetings
- Check-ins with key stakeholders
4. Brainstorming meetings
Otherwise known as innovation or idea generation meetings, brainstorming sessions are exactly what they sound like! They’re gatherings where participants try to create as many ideas as possible in the allotted time.
Unlike with workshops, quantity trumps quality here, so the ideas don’t have to be refined or fully formed. The goal is to be creative, to think outside the box, and come together to solve a given problem. It should be a free-flowing and high-intensity meeting that leaves attendees feeling inspired.
Purpose:
The primary goal of brainstorming techniques is to generate a long list of ideas for a project or problem. However, there are also two secondary goals that we just alluded to. The first is to push the limits of everyone’s creativity; the second is to build excitement and anticipation for the project. When the meeting’s done right, these benefits combine to spur attendees to greater efforts in work to come.
Participants and Format:
Most managers invite members of an established team (e.g., the design team) to brainstorming meetings. This can be an effective strategy, but it’s also worth noting the value of bringing people together who have diverse interests, backgrounds, and skill sets. If you want the widest possible variety of new ideas, then this approach is often more fruitful.
Guest lists aside, a facilitator leads the session. They’ll begin with an overview of the premise/problem and then use idea-generation techniques to prompt responses from attendees. The only real “rule” is to avoid judgment or criticism; you want to make everyone aware there’s no such thing as a bad idea.
Examples:
- Brainstorming for a new ad campaign
- Brainstorming potential new products
- Brainstorming fundraising ideas
5. Planning meetings
These types of meetings involve putting a plan in place for upcoming projects, products, campaigns, and so on. You take the goal and all the available information to decide a) what you’re going to do, b) who’s going to do it, and c) when it’ll be done by. There’s also usually a discussion about known obstacles that’ll have to be solved and resources you’ll need to obtain.
Purpose:
The purpose of these meetings is to create a plan of action that clarifies who’ll do what by when and how you’ll avoid/mitigate/deal with potential problems. Participants should leave the session knowing their responsibilities and how they align with everyone else’s. Everyone must commit to executing the next steps.
Participants and Format:
The guest list for planning meetings varies, but they generally bring together an established team. Project owners or external facilitators tend to lead the session, but everyone present is expected to contribute and collaborate.
If participants don’t know each other, allocating some time to introductions and building connections is good practice. That said, the focus of planning meetings is getting the job done. Sessions usually begin with an explanation of the goal and a breakdown of the current situation before moving on to the actual plan-formation process. At the end of the meeting, you’ll review and confirm what you’ve put together.
Examples:
- Strategic meetings
- Marketing campaign planning
- Product roadmap planning
- Event planning
- Project kick-off meetings
6. Problem-solving meetings
There’s no shortage of problems that can befall a business, so it’s not a matter of if but when they’re going to strike. As soon as something goes wrong, you can call a problem-solving meeting to a) assess the situation, b) identify what caused it, c) consider possible solutions and d) put a plan together to remedy things.
Purpose:
The point of these types of meetings is simple. You’re there to define the issue, find the best way(s) to address it, and then ensure everyone commits to putting that solution into practice. Participants should leave the session knowing the problem’s scope, how to get unstuck from it, and what they must do (and by when) to help.
Participants and Format:
Problem-solving meetings should welcome everyone and anyone who could help find a solution to the problem. If they have information or expertise that seems relevant, then get them involved. The same goes for anyone who will need to implement whatever solution(s) the team arrives at.
You’ll want a facilitator or responsible leader to run the session. It’s their job to encourage everyone present to collaborate and contribute. After all, the more people offer assistance and ask/answer questions, the sooner you’ll find a way forward. On that note, the session facilitator must strive to create a safe environment that’s conducive to taking part and working as a team. This is especially important when participants don’t know each other very well.
As for their format, problem-solving meetings start with an analysis of what happened and the resources available before moving on to a review of possible ways forward. You then put an action plan in place and finish by reviewing everyone’s next steps.
Examples:
- Operational issues
- Incident responses
- Strategic issue resolution
- Change management
7. Decision-making meetings
Never make big business decisions on a whim! To choose the best way forward, you must first assess the different options and consider the implications of each one. That’s where decision-making meetings come in. These sessions invite subject-matter experts and decision-makers in the organization to analyze the information at their disposal and agree upon the correct course of action.
Purpose:
The intention of any decision-making meeting is to a) formally agree upon a significant decision and b) make sure everyone’s committed to enacting it. For this to happen, attendees need access to data that helps them understand the options and make an informed choice. The final decision gets documented to make it official.
Participants and Format:
The guest list for these types of meetings can vary. Similar to problem-solving sessions, they often involve existing teams. Yet attendees can also include anyone who a) has relevant experience/expertise or b) will be impacted by the decision. A senior member of the leadership team generally facilitates the session.
These meetings also differ from problem-solving sessions in that the available options have already been established. The aim is to settle on the best one. As an aside, there will be times when this has already been done, and the meeting itself is a formality designed to secure everyone’s commitment to it. When that isn’t the case, though, the sessions involve a more flexible, free-flowing approach.
It’s also worth informing participants beforehand how the decision will be made. For example, if they fail to reach a consensus in the allotted time, will someone make the final call for them? Will it go to a vote? This information should reduce time-wasting by making everyone more inclined to agree on a suitable way forward.
Examples:
- Deciding new hires
- Making changes to branding
- Approving a logo design
- Making significant operational decisions, e.g., downsizing
8. Team-building meetings
Team-building meetings are interactive, informal, and fun-filled gatherings designed to improve the way employees work together. They take many forms, from going on exciting days out in the local area to organizing post-work drinks or doing more traditional team-building activities in the office. Whatever they involve, the activities reinforce important skills, such as communication, delegation, and problem-solving.
Purpose:
The purpose of team-building sessions differs from other types of meetings. Rather than focus on anything work-related, the point is to improve the bond between colleagues and create a happier, more cohesive group. But the business definitely benefits, too. Done right, team-building meetings boost productivity, increase morale, develop people’s confidence, reduce employee turnover, and much more.
Participants and Format:
Team-building meetings can involve new or existing teams and include people in more senior/managerial roles. Given the intent behind the sessions, though, it’s important for the entire group to attend them.
While they should always encourage engagement and collaboration, the format’s generally up to you. Indeed, team-building can take place over a single afternoon or an entire multi-day retreat. And the activities can involve everything from escape rooms and trivia events to scavenger hunts and field days.
Examples:
Organize your meeting offsite
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it does cover eight of the most common types of meetings run by businesses today. Before you start organizing them, though, there’s one more consideration to take into account: location.
While the majority of work meetings will take place either in the office or online (for remote/hybrid teams), gathering offsite is another powerful option that can unlock numerous benefits. For starters, a change of scenery provides a fresh perspective that stimulates creativity; breaking from the normal routine prompts innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.
Being in a different environment also eliminates common workplace distractions, such as email notifications and an office phone that never stops ringing. This makes it easier to focus, which then has a positive knock-on effect on productivity.
There’s also a sense of unity and teamwork that comes from meeting somewhere new. It becomes more of an event – a fact that encourages engagement, collaboration, and group bonding. With professional relationships renewed and invigorated, you might find future work interactions benefit too.
Here are the types of meetings best suited to being held offsite:
- Team-building meetings
- Planning meetings
- Brainstorming meetings
However, assuming the topics you’re there to discuss aren’t urgent (in which case you should gather wherever’s most convenient), decision-making and problem-solving meetings can also benefit from an offsite location.
Hire Surf Office for help with logistics
The only disadvantage of offsite meetings is the extra effort involved with organizing them. But don’t let that put you off! Not only do the rewards far outweigh the logistical costs, but Surf Office can also handle everything for you.
We’ve organized work retreats, team-building retreats, and offsite meetings for dozens of businesses around the world. From finding the perfect venue to sorting out transport, food, and entertainment, we make the entire process effortless from start to finish. And, thanks to the network of local partners we’ve developed, we’ll help you save money as well.
Simply tell our experts what you need/want and we can take it from there. Ready to get started? Would you like to learn more? Contact us today.
