how to conduct a business planning meeting

How to hold a strategic planning meeting: A simple, step-by-step guide for facilitators

If you’re running or facilitating a strategic planning meeting, there are many factors to consider.

It’s much more than just bringing everyone together to have an open discussion — and it doesn’t just happen on its own, either.

There are several steps you can take to ensure that your strategic planning meeting runs smoothly, but it all starts with preparation.

Today, we’ll explore a few ideas to help you hold a successful session, starting with the basics.

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• What is strategic planning?

Strategic planning is the process of analyzing a current situation within your organization and making sure it’s aligned with your specific objectives. If it isn’t, you and your team must develop a plan to “correct the path.”

So, why is strategic planning important?

In short, strategic planning helps you get from where you are today to the future you want. It’s a way of breaking down big, daunting goals into manageable steps that address your current situation and guide your work.

Here’s where strategic planning meetings come into play.

Meetings are the cornerstone of the strategic planning process.

These meetings are typically held by facilitators , but anyone can lead a strategic planning meeting.

We’ll provide you with specific instructions to hold a successful meeting a bit later, but first, let’s answer a crucial question.

What is the purpose of a strategic plan meeting?

Broadly speaking, a facilitator will use meetings to either:

• Gather specific information and feedback from team members, executives, and stakeholders.
• Help team members work together to solve problems, think strategically, and create new ideas to improve the organization.

These meetings aim to provide clarity in decision-making.

This is not a typical meeting where participants spend time reporting out. Strategy planning is all about brainstorming and collaboration .

This way, you can develop solutions to tangible problems in your organization and set the tone and strategic direction for your team.

Who needs to be included?

The best way to ensure that you get all of the most relevant voices in the room is to create an invite list.

Include people from each relevant department, if possible.

This way, you can cover a more complete spectrum of your company’s operations and activities.

You’ll want to include upper management, but don’t stop there.

Bring in members of the sales department, investor relations, human resources, and any other relevant departments or stakeholders.

You might also consider inviting people from outside of the organization who can provide a fresh perspective.

This is particularly useful for organizations that are doing business in a new market or have started offering new products.

• Best practices for running a successful strategic planning session

Now that you understand the importance of effective strategic planning meetings, the question becomes, how do you actually hold one?

Let’s cover a few of the best practices:

Build buy-in before the meeting starts

First, you’ll want to build buy-in with everyone involved.

Keep what you’re doing top-of-mind, whether that’s through casual conversations or company-wide memos.

In addition, make sure to have a clear agenda prepared, so everyone knows what they can expect out of the meeting. Start by defining the goal, then detail how you’ll get there.

Also, get all the materials you need together in advance.

That may look like coordinating with IT to make sure everyone has access to company software, sending out pertinent documents in advance, or mapping out who will be speaking at the meeting.

Make sure to communicate your expectations clearly so that everyone knows what is expected of them and why.

You’ll want to spend time in your planning stages to keep the tone positive, while at the same time being realistic about what’s possible.

Ultimately, your goal should be to align the team around a shared vision and mission so that you can move forward with a shared perspective.

Now, how can you communicate this agenda?

We suggest you use a centralized space where everyone can see your agenda.

For example, you can use Miro’s Agenda template to create and share your agenda with participants.

You can also use the template to keep notes during the meeting and add refinements later.

This way, everyone can see what’s been discussed and the next steps for moving forward.

Remember; this should be a collaborative effort, so consider asking for ideas from everyone about what they’d like to see covered.

Just don’t forget to actually take those ideas into consideration.

Develop a transparent strategic planning process

During the strategic process, you’re inviting employees to have meaningful discussions around the company’s vision statement, strategic goals, and strategic objectives.

It’s important to have a roadmap in place for how you will facilitate the process so that employees know what to expect.

Your meeting should be an open, engaging discussion with transparent dialog. During the meeting, everyone should get a turn to talk.

Make sure you have a clear process that allows everyone to participate and feel heard, no matter what their role is.

In the planning stage of a meeting, it’s important to have as much input as possible.

You can involve everyone by holding a virtual brainstorming session with this brainstorming template . Once you create a board, you can invite people to collaborate in real time.

This template helps you create a more engaging and collaborative session while allowing every person on the team to contribute their thoughts.

Create an agenda and stick to it

We all know what happens when an agenda is not set or adhered to.

Creating an agenda for your meeting helps you and your participants stay on track. This agenda should include topics, questions, milestones, and people.

Milestones are the larger topics that will be broken down into smaller questions, and these questions should flow to the ultimate goal of narrowing down your strategic priorities.

You can create milestones by putting together a list of discussion questions that will help your participants get on topic and help you check in with the group.

Your agenda might include an opening discussion, a brainstorming session on ideas, and a closing review of the next steps.

When developing your agenda:

• Keep it short: The last thing you want is your meeting to drag on for no good reason, so try to limit each agenda item to ten minutes or less. The whole meeting should only take an hour or two, at most.
• Be selective: Don’t include too many topics or ideas that will bog down your meeting.
• Create a contingency plan: You never know what might happen during your meeting, so always have a backup plan in case your agenda falls through.
• Plan for breaks: For longer meetings or workshops, set aside at least half an hour to take a break, such as during lunchtime.

Make it interactive

As much as possible, you’ll want to make this a collaborative effort, so it’s important to get everyone involved.

For example, you might want to break the group down into smaller sub-teams to brainstorm opportunities for new product features.

You could also task each group with creating a list of opportunities for particular departments within your company.

The point is that you’ll want to encourage open and honest dialog about challenges your company is facing and, where possible, break down any barriers that might stand in the way of progress.

Make sure to collaboratively create strategy documents, provide regular updates on progress, and discuss strategic issues in real time.

This way, you can work side-by-side to improve your performance, no matter where in the world your team members happen to be.

• How to run a strategic planning meeting in 7 steps

To get the most out of each session, you should prepare thoroughly — from the agenda to who you’ll involve and how.

Whether you’re holding a remote, hybrid, or in-person meeting, this process will help you out.

1. Define a clear outcome for the meeting

A strategic planning meeting can go totally off-the-rails if it’s held without a defined objective. That’s why the very first step is to define a clear, tangible goal for the meeting.

For example, your objective might be to better align social media with your marketing strategies .

In this case, your meeting might include a discussion on the purpose of social media, its role in the planning process, and how to better align your social media campaign with your organizational goals.

If your goal is to develop a new product , your meeting might look different.

Consider discussing who the target audience would be and how you can get in front of them. You could also discuss how the product should be positioned in the marketplace and what strategies you’ll use to get it there.

You can also set specific strategic planning meeting themes as part of your objectives, such as business growth or innovation.

The point is to be as specific as possible with your goal. That way, it’s easier for everyone to stay on task and make the right decisions.

2. Break the ice

A strategic planning meeting can be a big undertaking, so it’s important to break the ice by engaging participants in some friendly conversation.

You may want to ask participants what they think of the company’s latest direction or engage them in a fun icebreaker activity. You can also ask them what they think of the new business strategy and how they would implement it.

Or you could ask participants to complete an activity that allows them to interact with one another and develop a better understanding of each other’s unique skills.

For instance, you could assign participants to form teams, and then ask them to create a project plan to solve an issue the company might be experiencing.

You can also break the ice by having participants introduce themselves.

If you’re holding a remote or hybrid meeting, you could have participants discuss what they think in a private online chat room, or you could use an instant messaging program for the same purpose.

Make sure they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas with each other before starting the main agenda.

The bottom line? The more connected the group is prior to the meeting, the more effective the meeting will be.

3. Set clear expectations

Once you know what you want out of the meeting, the next step is to communicate any expectations of participants, such as things they should prepare in advance of the meeting.

Here are some useful guidelines to keep in mind when you’re setting expectations:

• Provide details: The more detail you provide, the clearer it will be as to what’s required.
• Assign roles: Make sure everyone knows their role and responsibilities within the meeting audience.
• Use timelines: Use timelines to remind everyone of what needs to be completed before the meeting and send reminders if necessary.
• Communicate effectively : Encourage participants to talk with their teams about the fact strategy planning is happening. They may want to set up smaller meetings to gather input for the strategy planning workshop or to share the outputs after the meeting to give employees a chance to ask questions.

4. Set ground rules for behavior

Before the meeting starts, make sure everyone knows the rules.

This is especially important when working with external stakeholders.

For example, you might say something like:

“The goal of this meeting is to develop the strategic plan for the next quarter. We want to minimize distractions, so please don’t check your phone during the meeting.”

Another good idea is to let participants know how they’ll be evaluated. For example, if you’re trying to make progress on a project, you might say something like:

“Let’s try and reach a consensus on the first three points. If we can do that, we’ll consider the meeting a success.”

If you’re dealing with a remote or hybrid team, you should take the time to define online behavior standards. For instance, you could say something like:

“If you have a question, please type it in the chat window. Using outside chat programs is not permitted during the meeting.”

This way, you’ll have everyone invested in the outcome.

5. Identify potential challenges

Before the meeting starts, it’s always good to identify potential areas of conflict that might derail the process.

For example, what would happen if someone had to leave halfway through? Will the meeting continue without them, or will you reconvene once they’re back?

You should also consider how to handle difficult participants. Can you remove a difficult participant from the meeting before they hijack all of your time?

What happens if a disagreement comes up and it’s not resolved?

You should prepare for all these things in advance and have a plan ready if they do happen. For example, consider using a countdown timer for specific agenda items or presentations, so that time is allocated fairly.

If you identify potential challenges early on, you can keep an eye out for them as the meeting proceeds.

6. Encourage full participation

Remember that you’re asking people to spend time — and sometimes travel — to participate in your meeting.

It’s essential that everyone feels like they have the opportunity to participate. The best way to do this is by mentioning at the beginning of the meeting that you’d like everyone’s input throughout.

Make sure to keep an eye out for people who aren’t speaking up. If it seems like they may have something to contribute, ask them for their thoughts on the topic.

Also, make sure everyone knows that participation is critical. If you need to take a vote on something, remind people what the vote is about and why it matters.

Finally, make sure you’re speaking in terms that everyone in the room can understand. If there are people who are new to the organization, spend a moment explaining any acronyms you use.

This will allow everyone to feel like they can give their input with ease, leading to a more successful meeting.

7. Use visuals and brainstorming tools to communicate ideas

Having everyone on the same page is critical, even if they can’t be in the same room.

Here’s where visuals and collaboration platforms come in handy.

Using collaborative tools, like our brainstorming templates helps you organize work and removes some of the stress of coming up with ideas on the spot.

It also encourages people to provide input and makes them feel like they have a stake in the outcome.

For instance, you can use Miro’s Reverse Brainstorming template to come up with innovative ideas and display them in real time. You can save the meeting content on the board too, so you can send it to participants after the meeting.

This can be especially useful if you have multiple participants in different locations involved at the same time. They may not be able to physically attend the meeting, but they can still provide valuable input.

Also, we provide you with a fully customizable strategic plan template .

You can adapt this template to fit your exact business needs and standardize your meetings with ease.

• Sample agenda for a strategic planning meeting

You need to make sure your strategic planning meeting agenda is detailed and thorough enough to keep you on task.

Start with an overview of what you’ll be discussing, then move into individual department updates. This is where you highlight progress against targets.

Finally, spend some time outlining your organizational goals moving forward and, of course, always leave time for questions.

To help you better understand what a strategy planning session might look like in the real world, here’s a sample agenda:

• 10am–11am: Welcome and meeting goals
• 11am–12pm: Leadership team updates
• 12pm–1pm: Department updates
• 1pm–2pm: Lunch break
• 2pm–3pm: Analyze challenges and problems
• 3pm–4pm: Ideate solutions
• 4pm–5pm: Discuss and gain consensus on solutions and goals
• 5pm–6pm: Assign tasks and responsibilities for strategy execution
• 6pm–7pm: Q&A
• It all comes down to solid preparation and visuals

The best way to ensure your meeting runs smoothly and effectively is to prepare it with anticipation. By creating a clear agenda, you’re able to get the most out of your session.

Also, the use of visuals and brainstorming tools helps you collaborate with your team and communicate your critical points more effectively.

You can hold your planning meetings in a more visual way by creating a board and sharing with your team.

Also, you can use the strategic planning meeting template to get started with fewer headaches.

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How to Run a Planning Meeting (Checklist Included)

Meetings—there can be too many. Meetings are sometimes held to discuss when to meet: it can feel absurd. However, meetings are not some useless artifact from business past. They are an important means of communication. That’s why a planning meeting in project management is key to kicking off a successful project.

Like any meeting, there are guidelines that must be followed. There must be an agenda, and only those people who need to be there should be in attendance. If not, well, that’s why meetings get a bad name. The more prepared you are, the more productive the meeting and the more efficient your project planning .

That’s why we’ve broken down a good planning meeting into the core items you should include to make it thorough and beneficial. We’ve even included a checklist you can use to make sure you’ve not neglected anything in your meeting.

What Is the Purpose of a Planning Meeting?

The obvious reason to have a planning meeting is to create a plan and get buy-in from the team. It’s the first step in developing a plan and requires that certain questions be answered, such as how do we achieve this goal? What do we know already about it? Who is going to be responsible for what?

When the planning meeting is complete, there should be a few deliverables, such as a rough outline of the plan that has been quickly sketched after answering the questions above. There must also be some clarity about who is going to be doing what in the project.

It doesn’t hurt if you can begin to identify dependencies, what resources you’ll need and which you don’t already have. Plus, you’ll have questions that need answering or require further investigation and research.

A general understanding of what the plan’s scope is should also be established. Everybody present should have a good idea of the plan. Get feedback to make sure those parameters were clear in the planning meeting and, if they’re not, encourage questions from the group until they are. This includes how individuals will coordinate with others on the team.

Key Elements of a Planning Meeting

A planning meeting is only as good as its parts. Those parts are what you have to prepare before even calling the meeting. You want to have all your ducks in a row, so to speak, so that the meeting goes off without a hitch and the plan and team responsibilities are well-outlined. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you’ve addressed each of the items below.

Vision, Goals & Objectives

Before you can have a plan, you must have a target. In other words, what are the goals and objectives you want to achieve. To figure that out requires asking yourself simple but important questions, such as what are you trying to do and what problems are you trying to solve?

Answering these questions will define the vision, which is an important lodestar to follow when implementing the plan. This will also give stakeholders and team members a ramp to onboard to the project. This leads to creating a business case , aligning the project to the organization’s overall business objectives and identifying the project’s benefits.

Critical Success Factors

Once you have a vision, goals and objectives, you’ll need to qualify that vision, goals and objectives. What does that mean?

According to D. Ronald Daniel , who first developed the concept, it’s “the limited number of areas in which results, if they are satisfactory, will ensure successful competitive performance for the organization. They are the few key areas where things must go right for the business to flourish. If results in these areas are not adequate, the organization’s efforts for the period will be less than desired.”

In other words, what are the things you can’t fail at doing. These basic components of your plan must be defined and clear to all. These include the deliverable for the project, an agreed upon budget and schedule, etc.

Having critical success factors in place means that you can prioritize not only the planning process but the project execution. You’ll know who the leaders are, where to put your resources and how to adjust your plan to make sure those critical success factors are always safeguarded.

Key Performance Indicators

A key performance indicator or KPI is something that is of a measurable value. It shows how effective a project is working towards meeting its key business objectives. It’s a way to evaluate success, but in order to do that you first must determine what the KPIs are for the project.

Therefore, the planning meeting must address the project KPIs and, more specifically, what everyone on the project team is responsible for doing in order to achieve those KPIs. Without setting a target to hit and explaining that to the team, as well as their part in reaching that target, the project is less likely to succeed. This is why it is an essential part of the planning meeting.

Then there are the key issues: the things most pressing that must be immediately addressed. Before moving forward with the project or even the planning, there are likely obstacles that must be cleared. This is the time in which they are identified, and a decision is made regarding the resolution and who will lead that charge.

Related: Free Issue Tracking Template for Excel

Hitting these points will provide a basic outline for a one-day planning meeting. Of course, you can and might need to have more time devoted to the planning, but that will depend more on the size of your team than the project. Regardless of how big or small your team is, in order to make the planning meeting more productive you’ll want to include them prior to meeting and get their ideas and comments.

ProjectManager Turns a Planning Meeting Into a Plan

You’ve met, you’ve defined the project and now comes the making of a real plan to incorporate all you’ve talked about. That’s where ProjectManager can help. ProjectManager is an online project planning software that can help you plan, schedule and manage projects from start to finish.

Easy Imports

You have a vision, goals and objectives, but how do you break those down into steps that will lead to the final deliverable of the project? Well, to begin with, use a work breakdown structure , which will help you work back from the end of the project to all the tasks that are necessary to get there. This is basically creating a task list that can then be uploaded into ProjectManager and will open up as a new project.

Set Dependencies, Deadlines & Milestones

Not all tasks can be completed at once, some can’t start until others are finished, so you need to organize them. ProjectManager simplifies this process. Add task durations and the populate a timeline on your Gantt chart tool .

Now you can link dependent tasks, set milestones to break the project into phases and even begin assigning team members all from the Gantt.

Task Management Tools for Managing Work

Once a team member is invited to ProjectManager they can be assigned tasks. The tasks can have directions from the manager, to-do lists and include unlimited file and image attachments. But that’s just the start.

Different people working on the project work in different ways, which is why ProjectManager has multiple project views . Team members might prefer a task list or even a calendar view.

Once they start executing tasks, though, it can be hard to focus on priorities and control workflow. The kanban view keeps team members working on just those jobs that they have the resources and capacity to accomplish. Managers get transparency into the production cycle too.

Of course, team members are most productive when they’re working together, which is why ProjectManager fosters collaboration. Tasks can be commented on and other team members who aren’t assigned to that task can be tagged and brought into the conversation.

Track & Report on the Plan

Managers want to track team progress and can do this on a high-level with a real-time dashboard or go deep into the data with one-click reporting. ProjectManager is the perfect tool to turn plans into reality and should be on the agenda of every planning meeting.

ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management software that helps with planning your project and then executing it. Multiple project views make it a flexible tool for everyone on the team from managers to teams and stakeholders, who love the clear and easy reporting. Try ProjectManager the next time you plan a project with this free 30-day trial.

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What is an effective meeting?

“This meeting should have been an email.” Emblazoned on coffee mugs, endless memes, and your colleagues’ faces on their ninth video call of the day, this sentence may end up being a catchphrase of the modern era.

As the pandemic rewrote the rule book for coworking and office culture, new processes and untested systems allowed inefficiencies to creep in —inefficiencies that included meetings scheduled for the sake of unstructured discussion or even basic human interaction rather than for productivity. While interacting might be easier than ever, value-creating collaboration isn’t—and its quality seems to be deteriorating .

Effective meetings aren’t just about keeping ourselves from going around the bend. When meetings aren’t run well—or when there are too many of them— decision  making becomes slower and the quality of decisions suffers. According to one McKinsey survey , 61 percent of executives said that at least half the time they spent making decisions—much of it surely spent in meetings—was ineffective. Just 37 percent of respondents said their organizations’ decisions were both timely and high quality. And, in a different survey , 80 percent of executives were considering or already implementing changes in meeting structure and cadence in response to the evolution of how people worked during the pandemic.

What’s more, when leaders try to solve for inefficient decision making, they too often look to organizational charts and vertical-command relationships. Rarely, in McKinsey’s experience, do they see the real issue at hand: poor design and execution of collaborative interactions. In other words, you guessed it, ineffective meetings.

It doesn’t have to be this way. When meetings are run well, they not only foster better decisions but also leave attendees feeling energized and motivated to carry the momentum forward independently. For tips on how to put a stop to video call fatigue and restart your team’s productivity, read on.

Learn more about McKinsey’s People & Organizational Performance Practice .

What does time management have to do with effective meetings?

“The only thing on Earth that never lies to you is your calendar ,” says renowned business author and McKinsey alum Tom Peters. “That’s why I’m a fanatic on the topic of time management. But when you use that term, people think, ‘Here’s an adult with a brain. And he’s teaching time management. Find something more important, please.’ But something more important doesn’t exist.”

Endless, diffuse meetings, according to Peters, take up far too much of executives’ precious working time. Half of leaders’ time, he says, citing an idea from the Israeli executive Dov Frohman, should be unscheduled. What should they do with all that unstructured time? One typically cheeky suggestion from Peters is to read more.

The reality is that effective meetings and good time management exist in a virtuous circle. Good time management means you feel empowered to turn down unnecessary meetings—and better meetings mean you spend the rest of your time feeling more purposeful in carrying out your work.

How can leaders address the problem of time scarcity?

McKinsey’s experience shows that leaders may want to stop thinking about time management as primarily an individual problem and start addressing it institutionally. Increasingly, time management is an organizational issue with roots deeply embedded in corporate cultures.

Unsurprisingly, the solution seems to be balance. Executives in one McKinsey survey  who reported being satisfied with the way their time is allocated spent 34 percent of their working time interacting with external stakeholders (including boards, customers, and investors), 39 percent in internal meetings (including one-on-ones with direct reports, leadership team meetings, and other employee gatherings), and 24 percent working alone.

Here are five ways to achieve optimal balance in allocating time :

• Have a ‘time leadership’ budget—and a process for allocating it. When adding a project or initiative, companies should analyze how much leadership attention, guidance, and intervention each will need. In our experience, this is the best way to move toward the goal of treating leaders’ time as a finite resource—one that is as precious as a company’s financial capital.
• Consider time when you introduce organizational change. Understanding the time required to achieve goals is critical to the long-term success of any organizational change. The hours needed to manage, lead, or supervise an employee can leave managers with little time left over. Getting this balance right can be tough—having too few managers could lead them to feel overwhelmed, with more direct reports than they can manage. But having too many managers can cause redundancies and unnecessary complexity.
• Ensure that individuals routinely measure and manage their time. Time analysis exercises can yield surprising results—and can inspire time management that more closely aligns with organizational priorities. Including time-related metrics in performance reviews is another driver of behavioral change.
• Refine the principal calendar. Revisit all standing meetings and make an honest assessment of which ones are being held out of habit and which ones are genuinely useful.
• Provide high-quality administrative support. In a survey of executives on how they allocate their time , 85 percent of those who considered themselves effective time managers reported that they received strong support in scheduling and allocating time. Only 7 percent of ineffective time allocators said the same. In the case of one global chemical company, the administrative assistant of the CEO considers it her responsibility to ensure that the organization’s strategic objectives are reflected in the way she allocates the CEO’s time.

Learn more about McKinsey’s  People & Organizational Performance Practice .

What are three questions you should ask yourself before scheduling a meeting?

Good meetings nurture better decision making . On the flip side, inefficient meetings not only waste time but also create distraction and confusion even when people are working independently. Here are three questions you can ask when scheduling a meeting  that can help create the clarity needed for efficient decision making.

Should this even be a meeting at all? Recurring meetings are particularly susceptible to migration from the original purpose toward something more diffuse. Check in with stakeholders to ensure that the frequency is right (weekly meetings could be changed to monthly, perhaps), or think about whether decisions could be best made by an individual—with, of course, guidance from others.

Then go deeper. Examine whether your company’s culture is to encourage meetings rather than individual decision making. To remedy this, if you’re a leader, think twice before reflexively accepting any meeting invitation as it appears in your inbox. The goal should be to treat leadership capacity as a finite resource— just like your company’s financial capital .

What is this meeting for? A meeting’s title and its purpose are not the same. When the latter isn’t clear, meetings can seem frustrating at best and futile at worst. To help avoid this, companies can appoint a “chief of staff” for certain efforts or products. This person collates materials before meetings, ensures that they are distributed ahead of time, and verifies that the due diligence has been done to necessitate a meeting in the first place. This can lead to better-informed participants, which in turn can lead to more effective time spent in meetings—and, ultimately, better decisions.

What is everyone’s role? Even if a meeting has a clear purpose, it’s of little use if there is no one present deputized to make a decision . Equally, even if it’s clear who the decider is, it’s a mistake to hold a meeting when people are unsure of participants’ roles. McKinsey analysts have seen poor role clarity stymie productivity and cause frustration, especially when decisions involve complicated business activities that cut across organizational boundaries. Blurry accountability is especially costly in an era where speed and agility confer a competitive advantage .

Meeting participants can be divided into four roles:

• Decision makers should be the only participants with a vote, and the ones with the responsibility to decide as they see fit. Sometimes decision makers will need to “disagree and commit,” to use a phrase coined by Jeff Bezos in a 2017 letter to Amazon shareholders.
• Advisers give input and shape the decision. They typically have a big stake in the decision’s outcome.
• Recommenders conduct analyses, explore alternatives, illuminate pros and cons, and ultimately recommend a course of action to the advisers and decision makers. The more recommenders the better—for the process, not the decision meeting itself.
• Execution partners don’t give input in making the decision but are deeply involved in implementation. For optimal speed and clarity, execution partners should be in the room when the decision is made so that they can envision how the implementation will evolve from the decision.

OK, I’ve eliminated all unnecessary meetings and assigned specific purposes to each one. Now what?

Great work. Now you can assign each meeting to one of the following three categories , and make specific shifts to improve the outcomes.

• Decision-making meetings. This category includes routine decisions, like quarterly business reviews, as well as complex or uncertain decisions, like decisions about investments. In order to make high-quality decisions quickly, it’s critical to clarify exactly who is going to make them. Some of these meetings can be held virtually, but complex decision-making meetings are better in person. These meetings should result in a final decision (even if not everyone agrees).
• Creative solutions and coordination meetings. These include innovation sessions—for instance, in support of a new product—as well as routine working sessions, like daily check-ins. Rather than telling people what to do, leaders should work to empower employees to make their own (supported) decisions and to spend more time on high-quality coaching sessions. As with decision-making meetings, creative solutions and coordinating meetings can be virtual—but most innovation sessions should be in person. Innovation sessions should result in potential solutions and prepare for a decision meeting, whereas routine working meetings can result in next steps.
• Information-sharing meetings. Live interaction can be useful for information sharing, especially when an interpretive lens is required or if the information is sensitive. But information-sharing meetings are often regarded as having limited value. Many organizations have recently moved to drastically improve meeting efficiency. Netflix, for example, has limited the duration of meetings to a maximum of 30 minutes  and requires that meetings involving one-way information sharing be canceled in favor of other mechanisms like a memo, podcast, or vlog. Early data from Netflix shows that the company has reduced meetings by more than 65 percent and that more than 85 percent of employees favor the approach. The goal of these meetings should be to increase awareness of the new information shared in the meeting.

What are some best practices for video meetings?

Establishing best practices for meetings might seem like common sense—but they are not commonly practiced. Here are some helpful tips from Karin M. Reed , author of the 2021 book Suddenly Virtual: Making Remote Meetings Work :

• Time: The most effective meetings are short meetings. Rather than scheduling a two-hour call with ten agenda items, cut it down to a 20-minute meeting with two agenda items. There are limits to people’s endurance and attention spans in the virtual environment.
• Participants: When determining the number of attendees for decision-making meetings, the sweet spot is five to seven. More than seven attendees in any meeting can result in an unwieldy discussion.
• Appearance: Pay attention to your appearance when hosting a videoconference. It’s not a matter of vanity—it shows respect for your conversation partner and can help you get your message across. Light your face properly: facial expressions are critical to conveying a message. And anything that takes attention away from you, whether it’s a crackly audio connection or a silly picture of Uncle Rupert in the background, will distract from your message.
• Eye contact: Look at your camera lens when you’re talking, not at your screen. This goes against our natural impulses, but eye contact is critical when you’re having a conversation. And to maintain eye contact on a video call, you need to look at your camera.
• Inclusion: Leaders should engage in proactive facilitation to ensure that everyone has the chance to say their piece. Cold calling on people—gently, and with good intention—lets people know that it’s their time to speak. Even if someone doesn’t have anything to add, they will have felt included.

For more in-depth exploration of these topics, see McKinsey’s People & Organizational Performance Practice . Also check out organizational structure–related job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced:

• “ If we’re all so busy, why isn’t anything getting done? ,” January 10, 2022, Aaron De Smet , Caitlin Hewes, Mengwei Luo, J. R. Maxwell , and Patrick Simon  
• “ Author Talks: Karin M. Reed on virtual meetings ,” April 20, 2021
• “ To unlock better decision making, plan better meetings ,” November 9, 2020, Aaron De Smet  and Leigh Weiss
• “ Want a better decision? Plan a better meeting ,” McKinsey Quarterly , May 8, 2019, Aaron De Smet , Gregor Jost , and Leigh Weiss  
• “ Tom Peters on leading the 21st-century organization ,” McKinsey Quarterly , September 1, 2014, Aaron De Smet  and Suzanne Heywood
• “ Making time management the organization’s priority ,” McKinsey Quarterly , January 1, 2013, Frankki Bevins  and Aaron De Smet

Want to know more about effective meetings?

Related articles.

If we’re all so busy, why isn’t anything getting done?

To unlock better decision making, plan better meetings

Author Talks: Karin M. Reed on virtual meetings

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10 Tactics to Keep Your Meeting on Track

• Joel Schwartzberg

Hint: It’s not about being the “agenda police.”

Too many meeting leaders think their job ends when the meeting starts or that they merely serve as note-taker and “agenda police.” But, as with almost any work project, a meeting’s success relies on the success of leadership communication. This article covers 10 communication tactics that can help leaders and executives attending meetings make sure that critical points are raised and discussed as effectively as they are efficiently, so that meetings ultimately accomplish their mission.

Many meeting effectiveness tips — whether the gathering happens in a room or on a Zoom — are well understood by now, including starting and ending on time , creating efficient agendas , establishing clear roles, and remembering when you’re on mute. Even if you don’t know the basics, a quick Google search will reveal them.

• JS Joel Schwartzberg oversees executive communications for a major national nonprofit, is a professional presentation coach, and is the author of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter and The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team . You can find him on LinkedIn and X. TheJoelTruth

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• Meeting agenda examples: How to plan, w ...

Meeting agenda examples: How to plan, write, and implement

Your agenda tells your team what to expect during a meeting and how they can prepare for it. Ideally, you’ll use your agenda to connect your team with the meeting’s purpose, assign tasks or items to team members, and designate a realistic amount of time to each agenda item. A great meeting agenda maximizes the meeting’s effectiveness and keeps your team on track.

An effective agenda communicates the purpose of your meeting, gives your team the chance to prepare their agenda items, and keeps everyone on track.

Whether you’re preparing for your next board meeting, staff meeting, or business meeting, we’ll help you write an agenda that will maximize your meeting’s potential.

What is a meeting agenda?

A meeting agenda serves as a structured roadmap for your meeting, detailing the topics and activities planned. Its primary role is to provide meeting participants with a clear framework, outlining the sequence of events, the leader for each agenda item, and the time allocated for each task. By having this agenda as a guide both before and throughout the meeting, it helps to facilitate an efficient and productive flow of discussion.

How to write a meeting agenda

Crafting a meeting agenda is a key step in ensuring a focused and productive meeting. Here's how to do it effectively.

1. Clarify meeting objectives

The first step in writing a meeting agenda is to clearly define any goals. In clarifying the goal, be as specific as possible. This specificity helps guide the discussion and ensure that the meeting remains focused. It also helps stakeholders prepare for the meeting.

For example, if the goal is to finalize the budget for the next quarter or discuss new business, participants would come prepared with relevant data and insights.

A well-defined goal also helps set the meeting's tone and align everyone's expectations. This clarity leads to a more structured discussion and a more productive meeting overall.

2. Invite participant input

Inviting input from participants before finalizing the agenda is a critical step in creating a comprehensive and inclusive meeting plan. This involves reaching out to potential attendees and asking if there's anything specific they would like to discuss or add to the meeting agenda.

For example, if you're planning a meeting for a project team, you could send an email asking each member to suggest topics they feel are important to address. This could reveal issues or ideas you hadn't considered, ensuring a more well-rounded agenda.

Incorporating participant input not only makes the agenda more comprehensive but also increases engagement. When team members see their suggestions included, they feel valued and are more likely to participate actively in the meeting. It also ensures that the meeting addresses the concerns of all attendees.

Gathering input can be done through various channels, like email, shared docs, or team collaboration tools. The key is to make it easy for meeting participants to contribute and to ensure their suggestions are considered and, where appropriate, included in the final agenda.

3. Outline key questions for discussion

Making a list of important things to talk about is important for keeping the meeting on track and focused. Start by identifying the main meeting topics that need to be addressed and framing them as questions.

For instance, if the meeting is to discuss the progress of an ongoing project, key questions might include:

What are the current roadblocks in the project?

How are we tracking against the project timeline

What resources are needed to maintain the pace of work?

These questions serve as talking points and a guide for the discussion, ensuring that all relevant topics are covered. They also help in structuring the conversation, making it easier for participants to prepare and engage effectively.

4. Define each task’s purpose

Each task or topic on the agenda should have a clearly defined purpose. This transparency helps participants understand the importance of each discussion point and how it relates to the overall goal of the meeting.

For example, if one of the agenda items is to review recent client feedback and performance metrics, the purpose might be to identify areas for improvement in customer service. By stating this purpose, participants can focus their thoughts on this specific objective, leading to a more targeted and fruitful discussion.

Defining the purpose of each task also helps prevent the meeting from going off track. When participants understand why a topic is being discussed, they are less likely to veer off-topic, making the meeting more efficient.

5. Allocate time for agenda items

Effective meeting management requires allotting time for each item on the agenda. This includes determining the amount of time needed for each meeting topic or task and scheduling the meeting appropriately.

For instance, if you have five items on your agenda, you might allocate 10 minutes for a brief update, 20 minutes for brainstorming, and 15 minutes for discussing action items. This time allocation should be based on the complexity and importance of each topic.

Effective time management requires being realistic with your time estimates and factoring in extra time for unforeseen conversations or inquiries. This approach helps in keeping the meeting within the scheduled time frame, respecting everyone's time, and maintaining focus.

6. Assign topic facilitators

Assigning facilitators for each topic on the agenda can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the meeting. A facilitator’s role is to guide the discussion, make certain that the conversation stays on track, and that all voices are heard.

For example, if one of the agenda items is to discuss sales strategies, you might assign this topic to a senior salesperson. Their expertise and familiarity with the subject can help steer the conversation productively.

Facilitators should be chosen based on their knowledge of the topic and their ability to manage group discussions. They should also be briefed on their role and the expectations for the discussion.

7. Write the meeting agenda

Finally, compile all the elements into a structured and comprehensive agenda. The agenda should include the meeting’s goal, a list of topics to be discussed with their purposes, time allocations, and assigned facilitators. This structure provides a clear roadmap for the meeting, ensuring that all important points are covered.

Share the agenda with all participants well in advance of the meeting. This allows them to prepare and ensures that everyone is on the same page. A well-written agenda is a key tool in running an effective and productive meeting.

Tips to create an effective meeting agenda

Let’s start with some of our favorite tips on creating great meeting agendas so you can make the most of yours:

Create and share your meeting agenda as early as possible. At the very latest, you should share your meeting agenda an hour before the meeting time. This allows everyone to prepare for what’s going to happen. Your team can also relay questions or additional agenda items to you for a potential adjustment before the meeting. Besides, when your team members have a chance to properly prepare themselves, they’ll have a much easier time focusing during the meeting.

Link to any relevant pre-reading materials in advance. This can be the presentation deck, additional context, or a previous decision. Everyone arriving at the meeting will be on the same page and ready to move the discussion forward rather than asking a ton of questions that take up relevant time.

Assign facilitators for each agenda item. Remember that feeling of being called on in school when you didn’t know the answer? It’s a pretty terrible feeling that we’re sure you don’t want to evoke in your teammates. By assigning a facilitator for each agenda item before the meeting, you allow them to prepare for a quick rundown of the topic, questions, and feedback.

Define and prioritize your agenda items. Differentiate between the three categories of agenda items: informational, discussion topics, and action items. Clarifying the purpose of each agenda item helps your team member understand what’s most important and what to focus on. You’ll also want to prioritize which items are most important and absolutely have to be discussed during the meeting and which ones can be addressed asynchronously, should the clock run out.

Use your meeting agenda during the meeting to track notes and action items. That way, all of the meeting information is in one place. If anyone has questions about decisions or action items from the meeting, they have an easy place to find it. Bonus: Do this in Asana so you can assign out action items and next steps to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Asana also integrates with Zoom and pulls in your Zoom recording or meeting transcript directly into the meeting agenda task.

Create flow by categorizing your agenda items. To maximize productivity, you’ll want to create a meeting agenda that flows well. Batch similar items together and ensure they can build off of one another. For example, list any informational items before the discussion items so your team has all of the information going into the discussion.

Allocate enough time for each item on your agenda. Nobody will complain about a meeting that runs short—keeping everyone longer than anticipated isn’t as much fun. Plan sufficient time for each agenda item by calculating an estimated time and adding a couple of minutes as a buffer. This will help with keeping your team on track and moving on from a topic when the time runs out.

By sticking to these best practices, you can ensure that your meeting agenda is a reliable tool and does the job—before, during, and after your meeting.

Why are meeting agendas important?

Whether you work from home and take virtual calls or sit in the office and meet in person, meetings can be incredibly draining. Beginning with some small talk may be nice to get to know each other better or catch up on what everyone did this past weekend but it certainly isn’t goal-oriented or productive. A meeting agenda can help your team maximize the potential of each meeting you hold.

Our research shows that unnecessary meetings accounted for 157 hours of “work” in 2020, compared to 103 in 2019. Considering a 40-hour work week, that’s almost four weeks of wasted time. This is where your meeting agenda comes in. If you’re doing it right, writing your meeting agenda is the first and best indicator of whether or not your meeting is actually necessary. If you find that everything on your meeting agenda can be discussed asynchronously , you can cancel the meeting and share your message in a time-saving email.

That isn’t to say all meetings should be replaced by emails. If you’re sure that the meeting is justified and necessary in order to drive your team’s progress, have that meeting. However, always make sure that you create an agenda before getting together so your team members know what you’ll be discussing and why the meeting matters.

Here are a few more great reasons to have meeting agendas:

Your agenda allows everyone to prepare for the meeting. Ideally, every item on your agenda will have a dedicated topic facilitator. When everyone going into the meeting knows what their responsibilities are in advance, they have time to prepare and will be more efficient during the meeting.

It shows you’re considerate of your team’s time. When your team receives a well-thought-out meeting agenda, they’ll immediately see that the meeting is actually necessary. Besides, it’s also a roadmap that will keep you on track during the meeting and ensure no time is wasted.

An agenda sets clear expectations of what will and won’t be discussed. Think of a meeting agenda as a way of setting boundaries and ensuring that only topics on the agenda will be talked about. If anything comes up during the meeting that needs to be discussed, write it down in your minutes and return to it later. Either at the end of your meeting—if you got through it faster than expected—asynchronously, or in the next meeting.

It keeps your team on track. Your meeting agenda will prevent your team from drifting off—whether that’s discussing non-agenda topics (like the barbecue at Kat’s place last night) or taking too much time for an item that had specific time allocated.

Your agenda will provide purpose, structure, and opportunities to collaborate. With a clear plan for everyone to follow, your team will go into the meeting knowing the purpose and goal of the meeting. Your meeting agenda also allows your team to direct their attention toward opportunities to collaborate, whether that’s during a brainstorming session , a town hall, or your daily standup.

Track next steps and action items so nothing falls through the cracks. Keep your agenda open during the meeting to capture any next steps or action items . By adding them directly into the agenda, these items won’t be forgotten when the meeting ends.

Meetings are great opportunities for your team to bond but the time spent on small talk can be worked into the first few minutes of the agenda rather than surfacing every now and then during the meeting, disrupting the flow and productivity or your team’s discussion.

Meeting agenda examples

We’ve discussed what makes a good meeting agenda and what you should avoid doing but, as always, it’s easiest to learn from a real life example. Let’s take a look at a project kickoff meeting agenda created in Asana:

As you can see, each item has a timebox and a teammate assigned to ensure everyone knows when it’s their turn and how long they have to lead their discussion or give their presentation. The agenda also has relevant files attached and is shared with all team members for visibility and better collaboration.

Meetings are a staple in the professional world, each with its own unique focus and dynamics. Understanding how to tailor your meeting agenda to the type of meeting you're conducting is key to ensuring effective communication and teamwork. Here are some common types of meetings and examples of how to structure their agendas.

Team meeting agenda

Team meetings serve as a platform for team building, decision making, and brainstorming. They can vary in frequency and duration but are essential for ensuring alignment and forward momentum. Effective team meeting agendas should include recurring items for regular meetings and space for new, ad-hoc topics. It’s also vital to track next steps and responsibilities assigned during the meeting. An example of a 45-minute team meeting agenda might cover metrics, a round-table plan, identification of blockers, and recognition of team members' contributions​​.

Daily Scrum meeting agenda

Daily scrum meetings, or stand-ups , are brief, focused gatherings aimed at keeping the team aligned during a sprint. These meetings typically cover blockers, a recap of the previous day’s work, goals for the current day, and progress towards sprint goals. The agility of these meetings helps in maintaining momentum and addressing issues promptly.

Project kickoff meeting agenda

Project kickoff meetings bring together cross-functional teams to start a new project. These meetings set the tone for the project and align everyone on objectives and expectations. The agenda should cover the project brief, roles and responsibilities, meeting cadence, actionable next steps, and a Q&A session to clarify doubts and ensure everyone is on the same page​​.

Retrospective meeting agenda

A retrospective meeting is a type of recurring meeting focused on reflecting on a past period of work, usually at the end of a project cycle or sprint. Its main purpose is to share information among team members about what worked well and what didn't. During the meeting, the entire team discusses various meeting topics, including successes, challenges, and blockers that impacted their work. This process helps in identifying areas for improvement and developing strategies to address any issues. Retrospective meetings are vital for continuous team development and ensuring better outcomes in future work cycles.

One-on-one meeting agenda

One-on-one meetings , whether they are between a manager and a direct report, peer-to-peer, or skip-level, are crucial for discussing work projects, roadblocks, and career development. They are foundational for building trust.

A good agenda for these meetings should balance topics like motivation, communication, growth, and work-related discussions. Avoid status updates; those are better suited for stand-up meetings. Sample questions for a weekly one-on-one might include assessing highlights and lowlights of the week, discussing any blockers, and inquiring about work-life balance​​.

Remote one-on-one meeting agenda

Remote one-on-one meetings require a slightly different approach, with a focus on rapport-building and clear communication. Since physical presence is lacking, these meetings benefit from a shared online agenda accessible to all participants. Key points could include checking in on general well-being, discussing current work assignments, and addressing any immediate concerns or assistance needed​​.

Skip-level meeting agenda

Skip-level meetings, involving senior managers and employees not in their direct report chain, offer a chance to connect across organizational levels. These meetings are ideal for discussing broader career development and providing feedback to senior leadership. Agenda items might cover clarity on company strategies and goals, personal professional objectives, and suggestions for organizational improvements​​.

Leadership team meeting agenda

Leadership team meetings are vital for strategic decision-making and issue resolution at the highest levels of an organization. An effective agenda for such meetings might include personal updates, reviewing key metrics, sharing wins and insights, discussing important messages, addressing pressing issues, and allocating time for an open discussion or "hot seat" session where specific topics are addressed in-depth​​.

Each type of meeting, be it an all-hands gathering, one-on-one discussion, performance review, or team brainstorming session, requires a thoughtfully crafted agenda to avoid unproductive meetings and keep discussions on track.

By using these meeting agenda examples, you can ensure that each meeting, regardless of its format, contributes meaningfully to the organization's goals and enhances teamwork and collaboration.

Running an effective meeting

It’s one thing to have an amazingly organized and detailed agenda that your team can reference before the meeting—using it as a tool during the meeting is a whole other ballpark. These tips will help you make your meeting agenda as useful during the meeting as it is as a preparation tool

Stick to your agenda. The best agenda becomes useless if you don’t stick to it during the meeting. Try not to bounce back and forth between agenda items but rather stick to the priorities you established earlier.

Stick to your timeboxes. It absolutely helps release some tension and lighten the mood if you have a bit of small talk or a quick check-in at the beginning of your meeting. That’s why you should allocate three to five minutes to this—and stick to the timeframe. Pictures of Kabir’s son’s adorable Halloween costume can be shared elsewhere so you have enough time to reach your meeting’s goals now.

Designate a note taker. At the beginning of the meeting, designate a note taker who will write down any questions, feedback, tasks, and ideas that come up during the meeting. You can rotate this position so everyone on your team gets to contribute at some point. Ideally, these notes are taken in the same place as the meeting agenda—this will make it a lot easier for team members to follow the notes and link them to agenda items. Notes can also be directly entered into Asana for real-time updating and tracking

Follow up after the meeting. Typically, the note taker will be responsible for following up with the meeting notes afterward. The notes should include any decisions that were made during the meeting, tasks that need to be completed, and questions that remained unanswered. If possible, assign teammates and add due dates to action items to keep accountability high. To ensure that these action items are tracked and completed, they should be promptly added to our Asana project management tool.

Make the most out of every meeting

With Asana, you can keep your meeting agenda, meeting minutes, and meeting action items in one place. Effortlessly share the agenda with your team and assign agenda items in real time so nothing falls through the cracks.

Streamlining your meetings with one central tool will reduce the amount of work about work your team faces, connect everyone to the purpose of the meeting, and allow for productive meetings everyone enjoys.

Related resources

What is a flowchart? Symbols and types explained

What are story points? Six easy steps to estimate work in Agile

How to choose project management software for your team

7 steps to complete a social media audit (with template)

11 top tips for facilitating strategic planning sessions

Strategy can no longer be an analytical decision-making process that takes place behind closed doors, involving just a few individuals. Today, it demands creativity and broad participation.

The way forward involves innovative approaches and inclusive participation. That’s why we’re taking a deep dive into these issues with a few of our own expert voices:

• Jim Kalbach , Chief Evangelist at Mural
• Katie Scheuer , Sr. Consultant at Mural
• Farrah Buhaza , Sr. Professional Services Consultant at Mural

Each brings a unique perspective — from using creativity and participatory approaches to employing advanced digital tools and fostering engaging environments.

The discussion helps reveal the nuances of facilitating successful strategic planning sessions in this fast-paced, interconnected world. You’ll discover how to shift strategy from an analytic process to a creative, inclusive journey, adapting to the complexities of remote and distributed work environments.

1. Use creative methods to structure the strategic session

"In today's hyper-competitive and global world, strategy has become more of a creative exercise."‌ - Jim

Creative methods level the playing field, enabling all participants to contribute equally and more freely.

“Here's the thing: Particularly with strategy sessions, there might be many loud voices — people who dominate the conversation,” Jim says. “If you just go in with a blank piece of paper and say, hey, we're going to discuss this, what tends to happen is the discussion tends to center on just a few people in the group. If you have exercises, everybody can participate.”

Jim advocates for structuring strategic sessions using creative methods, emphasizing the shift from traditional analysis to a more dynamic, participatory approach. "It doesn't just have to be bullet points and reading of data," he says, proposing brainstorming, dot voting, and clustering as techniques to enliven the process. 

Plus, the State of Meetings report from Mentimeter reveals that 46% of Gen Z leaders are introverts, often distracted by texting (42.7%) or checking social media (44.6%) during meetings. To encourage engagement, 62% of respondents suggested integrating non-verbal (47%) or anonymous (45%) participation methods. This data underscores the need for creative, inclusive methods in strategic planning sessions, catering to the diverse communication styles of participants, especially among younger generations.

Use icebreakers and participatory methods: Kicking off a meeting with an icebreaker , or building brainstorming sessions and clustering exercises into your meetings encourages participation from the get-go.

Related: 5 actionable tips to improve meeting engagement

2. Ensure clarity and alignment to maximize productivity

A clear and focused agenda sets a definitive course for the session, minimizing confusion and maximizing productivity. It makes sure that every participant understands what'll be discussed and the purpose behind each topic.

"Make sure that you're very clear on the agenda for the session. . . and also that all your participants are included in the know and are very aware of it," Farrah advises. 

Implementing a structured agenda with clear objectives can transform a potentially meandering meeting into a focused strategy session. This approach is especially critical in complex projects or when diverse teams are involved.

"Make sure that the topics you're covering are relevant and that people understand the why of each section," she says. This is crucial to making sure that participants see the value in each discussion point and how it ties into the larger objectives of the organization.

“Having that alignment up front is really important." - Farrah

Share the agenda with all participants well in advance of the strategy meeting. Encourage team members to review the agenda, prepare their inputs, and come with a clear understanding of their role in the meeting. This preparation provides that strategic planning sessions lead to desired outcomes. 

Lean on your tools : Katie recommends embracing technology, like AI, to pre-populate ideas and streamline the strategic planning process.

3. Use visual tools for simultaneous and inclusive participation

Visual tools like digital whiteboards allow simultaneous contributions, breaking the bottleneck of one-by-one conversations.

" Visualization isn't just about color, pictures, and frameworks — it's also about ensuring that everybody can express themselves in different ways." - Jim

Jim champions using visual tools in strategic planning sessions, advocating a shift from traditional verbal discussions to more inclusive, engaging formats.

"If you throw in a visual platform like Mural, everybody can talk at the same time," he explains. 

This method transcends the limitations of traditional verbal-only sessions by offering multiple means of expression. And data from Mentimeter backs this up. Approximately 62% of participants believe that various engagement options in meetings, such as the ability to like, comment, react, and participate in polls, would significantly enhance their productivity. ‍

P.S . As an online platform with digital whiteboarding capabilities, Mural offers a range of features that cater to various needs, from brainstorming and strategizing to planning and problem-solving. With its Facilitation Superpowers® , a collection of tools designed specifically for guiding and managing sessions, Mural stands out as an excellent choice for facilitators looking to enhance engagement and productivity.

Using Mural's free planning templates, teams can engage in activities ranging from daily stand-ups to complex quarterly business reviews , making every aspect of collaboration visually accessible and interactive.

4. Time your sessions but leave room for organic discussions

The art of a successful strategic planning session lies in its delicate balance: meticulously structuring time while nurturing human connections . 

As Farrah says, "It's about having a structure, having it time-bound but also allowing for a bit of flexibility." This approach is akin to a thoughtful conversation — planned yet open to the natural dynamics of discussion and interaction.

Echoing this sentiment, Katie emphasizes the importance of personal connections: "Before diving into the meeting agenda, prioritize building relationships." This initial investment in warm-up activities or open-ended questions can transform the atmosphere, paving the way for more meaningful and productive strategic discussions.

"Set aside time to connect. Allow time (5-20 minutes) in a warm-up activity or open-ended question." - Katie

Start with a short, engaging activity to build rapport among participants, then transition into the structured, time-bound agenda. This method provides for a focused yet flexible approach to strategic planning.

5. Choose the right mix of people for effective collaboration

"Consider the audience. Who needs to be included?"

Katie's advice highlights a crucial aspect of strategic planning sessions: Carefully considering who needs to be in the room. 

"More people can increase complexity. Fewer people might mean the discussion is less inclusive/diverse." -Katie

The challenge lies in striking a balance. The right mix of participants provides a comprehensive representation of perspectives, fostering a richer, more holistic discussion. However, it's equally important to avoid overcrowding the session, which can lead to logistical challenges and dilute the focus of the conversation.

In a scenario where a new product is being discussed, including representatives from development, marketing, and customer service can provide a well-rounded view. However, keeping the group size manageable makes sure that each voice can be heard and contribute effectively.

According to a study by Mizen, Taneja, and Bloom (2022), online meetings were found to be more efficient for smaller gatherings of 2 to 4 people, while in-person meetings were preferred for gatherings of 10 or more. This finding can help you decide whether to meet online or in person based on the number of participants. Make meetings manageable: If you are a remote-first company, you can use breakout rooms to break up the strategic planning meeting into smaller groups and ensure everyone has the chance to contribute to the discussion.

Related: How to create a stakeholder map [templates & examples]

6. Involve remote participants actively to give them a voice

In modern strategic planning sessions, the hybrid meeting poses a problem. When some participants are physically present while others join remotely, how do you ensure remote participants don’t feel sidelined?

Jim sheds light on this conundrum, pinpointing the risk of remote participants feeling left out in a conversation dominated by those in the room. "It's really just a conversation in the room, and people are listening," he notes, underscoring the need to intentionally include remote participants.

"Facilitation needs to adjust to the setting. You can't think that your old in-person ways will work in a modern setting anymore." - Jim

To overcome this, Jim suggests adapting facilitation methods to suit ‌hybrid environments. For instance, he proposes starting discussions with remote participants to ensure their active involvement and prevent the conversation from being overly influenced by those in the room. 

"You have to change the way you facilitate the meeting," Jim advises, advocating for techniques like “popcorning” in remote settings where the last person speaking chooses the next speaker.

Building on Jim’s recommendations, Farrah offers a best practice for managing larger groups in hybrid settings: dual facilitation . This approach involves having separate facilitators for in-person and remote participants, ensuring focused attention and engagement for both groups.

Farrah also suggests thoughtful gestures like sending lunch vouchers to remote participants during an offsite meeting, replicating the in-person experience, and fostering a sense of inclusion. "So it's trying to be really intentional and mindful about how you mitigate those gaps and make people feel included," she says.

7. Pre-engage participants for focused sessions

Start participant engagement well before the scheduled strategic planning session. This proactive approach not only saves time during the actual meeting but also ensures that all attendees come well-prepared, significantly boosting the session's productivity.

“Engage them before you start the live session. Gather as much information as you can, even if it's passively." - Jim

Jim’s mantra, "Get started before you get started," serves as a guiding principle for facilitators to gather vital information and stimulate participant involvement ahead of time.

Sending out a brief survey or questionnaire in advance can help warm up participants to the session's topics and encourage them to think about their contributions. This practice can be particularly effective for executive participants who may be hesitant to do extensive pre-work.

Related: Pre-work: Your guide to pre-meeting action items

8. Take a digital-first approach to avoid workshop amnesia

One of the greatest challenges in the aftermath of strategic sessions is what Jim calls " workshop amnesia " — a phenomenon where the energy and decisions of a meeting dissipate once everyone returns to their daily routines. This issue often leads to a loss of momentum and a lack of clarity about decisions and actions post-meeting. 

Jim's solution lies in leveraging digital tools not just as a medium but also as a strategy to sustain momentum and keep ‌decisions and discussions top of mind.

"Workshop amnesia is real. You have this big event, people are engaged, but come Monday, it's like, 'What did we decide? Who's doing what?' That's the challenge." - Jim

By incorporating visual work platforms like Mural, especially towards the end of the session, strategic planning facilitators can effectively pivot into the digital realm for follow-up. 

"Think digital as an output. It's the way to keep the momentum going," Jim advises. This approach makes sure that the energy, ideas, and decisions from the session are immediately captured and accessible for future reference and action.

“You don't often think of documentation when you think of facilitating results. But any of these sessions we do, it's because we're trying to get to an outcome, and at the end of that outcome, you always need to document those results, those takeaways, then share them back with relevant stakeholders.” - Farrah

Wrap up digitally: Implement a digital-first method in your session's conclusion and subsequent follow-ups. For instance, use digital tools for the final prioritization exercise, making it a part of the session's digital footprint. This method not only ensures efficient follow-up but also helps combat the typical post-workshop drop in momentum and engagement.

Related: 7 tips to take more effective meeting notes

9. Incorporate multiple tools for distributed teams

Strategic planning sessions demand tools that foster engagement, collaboration, and efficiency. Integrating innovative tools can transform these sessions from standard meetings into dynamic, interactive experiences.

"If the only channels used are audio/visual and screen sharing, it gets monotonous." - Jim

• Visual collaboration platforms : " Visual whiteboards for collection of thoughts and ideas throughout the session, as well as before and after, can change the game," points out Jim. Tools like Mural offer a digital space for teams to brainstorm and strategize, enabling visual thinking and collaboration beyond traditional boundaries.
• Real-time polling tools : Jim also emphasizes the value of polling tools like Menti or Polleverywhere. "Polls are great in general, but leaders particularly appreciate them for the data and real-time feedback they provide," he notes. These tools inject an interactive element into the session, allowing for immediate participant input and engagement.
• Mobile devices : Leveraging smartphones for quick polls and instant feedback is another tactic Jim recommends. This approach harnesses the ubiquity of mobile devices, making participation more accessible and spontaneous.
• Large touch screens in physical meetings : For in-person elements of a session, Jim suggests incorporating large touch screens. These tools enhance presentation dynamics and facilitate a more interactive form of feedback, enriching the overall experience.

10. Master the right techniques for impactful strategic sessions

‍ Strategic planning success isn't just about the tools — it's equally about the techniques. Farrah, Katie, and Jim offer valuable insights into the methods that elevate these sessions from routine discussions to impactful strategic exercises.

• Intentional turn-taking and time management : Farrah recommends using liberating structures like the “One Two for All” approach. "This allows everyone to contribute individually and then in groups, ensuring diverse voices are heard," she explains. Additionally, using timers can keep discussions on track and prevent any single topic or individual from taking over the session.
• Blended meeting formats and design thinking : Katie advocates for blended meetings and adopting design thinking methods . These approaches infuse strategic sessions with creativity and flexibility, accommodating various participant needs and working environments. 
• Structured methods for collaboration : Jim's emphasis on structured methods provides a roadmap for productive sessions. "Utilize techniques like lightning decision jams, clustering, and dot voting to guide the session," he advises. These methods ensure that every participant's voice is heard and that the session remains focused on its objectives.

11. Adopt the rules of hybrid engagement 

‍ Hybrid meetings , which blend in-person and remote participation, present unique challenges that require a nuanced approach to building effective and inclusive engagement.Jim, Katie, and Farrah offer insightful strategies to navigate these complexities, providing a framework that facilitates dynamic interaction and equal participation across both physical and digital spaces. Their combined approaches address the challenges of hybrid settings, ensuring that every participant, whether dialing in remotely or sitting in the meeting room, can contribute effectively and meaningfully. Jim's approach: Rely on structured individual and group activities

• Encourage independent brainstorming in “heads down activities” for unbiased contributions.
• Use smaller breakout groups for focused discussions, enabling deeper exploration of ideas.
• Consolidate thoughts in larger sessions, which helps to foster collective decision-making and idea integration.
• Ensure remote participants are equally engaged with in-person attendees through digital tools.

‍ Farrah's strategy: Balance confidence and participation

• Allocate time for individual reflection, using digital platforms like Mural for anonymous input.
• Employ affinity clustering to organize ideas, highlighting common themes and diverse opinions.
• Actively facilitate discussions to encourage quieter participants, ensuring a balanced dialogue.

‍ Katie's insights: Factor in the practical aspects of meeting management

• Allocate buffer time in the agenda to accommodate technical issues and side discussions.
• Consider the number of voices included in the meeting, allowing some to participate asynchronously for efficiency.
• Make sure you’re including diverse perspectives, using assessments of diversity and inclusion to guide participant selection.
• Adapt facilitation techniques for diverse teams and industries, allowing extra time for processing and alternate participation methods.

Flexibility: The key to successful facilitation Effective facilitation in strategic planning sessions is a balancing act. It requires a readiness to adapt and evolve with the changing dynamics of teams and technology. Embracing digital-first approaches — while keeping the human touch — is crucial.

“A good facilitator will recognize that something isn’t working and shift accordingly. So just because you’ve planned everything out in detail doesn’t mean you can stick to that plan or even have to stick to that plan.” - Jim 

As facilitators, your role isn't just to guide discussions but to inspire collaborative action and meaningful outcomes. The true success of a session lies in its ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth and innovation. ‍

Make sure your strategic planning sessions are as successful as possible by employing the best tools. Mural offers a free plan to help you run better meetings, collaborate more effectively, and elevate every voice.

About the authors

Bryan Kitch

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Matt Abrahams (Image credit: Courtesy Matt Abrahams)

How do you feel when a meeting has been canceled? Matt Abrahams believes nearly everybody is thrilled.

“Most people feel meetings are not as effective as they could be,” says Abrahams, a lecturer in organizational behavior at the Graduate School of Business and host of Think Fast Talk Smart: The Podcast . “However, it is possible to have well-run meetings that are productive, that you look forward to, and that good things come from.”

Effective meetings require thoughtful consideration beforehand of what you want to accomplish, he says, which also helps you determine whether a meeting is even necessary or if the goal could be achieved another way – such as via email or Slack.

“People often use meetings as Band-Aids for deeper communication issues. So when communication isn’t clear and consistent, people either put more meetings on the calendar, or more people show up for meetings because it’s the only avenue for direct communication.”

When you really do need to call a meeting, these six tips from Abrahams will help you make it worthwhile.

Send an inviting invitation

A good meeting invitation engages attendees from the beginning and sets the tone for successful collaboration, Abrahams says, and it all begins with the name of your meeting.

“Don’t put the word ‘meeting’ or any synonym for it in the title; rather, include an action specific to your purpose. For example, instead of ‘Update Meeting’ or ‘Process Improvement Summit,’ take a marketing mindset and have the meeting title be ‘App Launch’ or ‘Catalyzing Research Effectiveness.’ ”

In the description, briefly state the purpose of the meeting and link to the agenda, if there is one. “I also often include a task or question or challenge that I want people to work on prior,” he says. “And if we’re using tools such as Zoom, I put a link to a tutorial for those tools. It conveys that I care that everyone can be successful in the meeting.”

Be mindful of timing

Most of us tend to set meetings that suit our own schedules, without considering how refreshed, rushed, or tired the attendees may be, Abrahams says.

“It’s not about what’s convenient for you. It’s about what’s best for your participants so that they can be more productive,” Abrahams says. “If your participants had three meetings prior to yours, you may want to move your meeting to another, better time.”

Another trick? Match the length of the meeting to the tasks involved. “It’s OK to have a 22-minute meeting if that’s all the time you need. Some research shows that when you truncate the time of a meeting, people are more efficient. You needn’t just accept the 30- or 60-minute meeting times provided in most calendaring tools,” he says.

Set your agenda

If your meeting will cover more than one or two orders of business, Abrahams says, an agenda will help: List the items to be covered, who the item’s owner is, how long the item is expected to take, and whether the item is up for discussion, informational only, and/or requires action. And for best results, be strategic about the order.

“We often list items in the order that comes to mind or maybe the order of people’s seniority, but research suggests the complexity or the challenge involved should be considered,” he says.

“If the group already knows how to work with each other, start with the middle-intensity issue, then move to the most challenging, and end with the easiest. If people don’t know each other, starting with the easiest gives you a quick win and builds a sense of camaraderie.”

Open with action

Abrahams says he’s on a personal mission to change the way presentations and meetings start. “Most people start meetings by stating the purpose and reviewing what happened in the previous meeting. It’s ludicrous since we are often just reminding people of the previous meeting they did not enjoy!”

Better, he says, is to begin with an action, such as answering a question or doing a collaborative task. “I would much rather participants get engaged and involved in something, and then we can tell them what the meeting is about and review the previous meetings.”

Encourage participation

All meeting facilitators need to be concerned about contribution equity, Abrahams says, so it’s critical to help all participants feel comfortable sharing their input. “For example, in the midst of a virtual meeting where some folks have yet to participate, I may send you a chat and say, ‘I recall you shared some ideas on this topic in the past, might you want to share some now?’ ”

In hybrid meetings where some people are remote and some are in the room, Abrahams says, starting with whichever group contains fewer people when seeking input invites more equal contributions.

And, be sure to acknowledge those who contribute, either in the meeting, outside the meeting, or in chat. “For example, you could say, ‘That was really useful when you brought that point back up because we’d lost track of it.’ This acknowledgment encourages folks to share more.”

Rotate roles

For recurring meetings with the same group, Abrahams suggests having various members rotate through roles like facilitator and note taker. “This way, everyone comes to understand why it is important to pay attention and participate – along with how hard it is to run the meeting.”

Matt Abrahams is the author of the book Think Faster, Talk Smarter. Tune into the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast in late January for two back-to-back episodes on making meetings effective.

Business Meeting Planning Checklist: How to do it right and fast

There is one universal trait that unifies all types of meetings – people spend their time communicating to find a solution for the problem or achieve certain goals. You must prepare whether you are planning a meeting with new business partners or doing a routine gathering of the team members engaged in a project. Careful planning is the key to conducting efficient meetings that solve problems. Our business meeting planning checklist is designed to help plan meetings quickly and correctly.

Meeting preparation: Why would I waste time on that?

You might think that this process is very tiresome and complicated. It can be when you have loads of materials to prepare, key aspects to emphasize, etc. But keep your main goal above it all – if everything goes as planned, you will get to work faster and finish your current tasks sooner. Also, when it comes to how to prepare for a meeting , there are many things to consider, including building a hierarchy of the tasks at hand, setting time limits for discussing each one of them, and quickly assigning duties within the team. To make this process less tiresome and complicated, creating a business meeting planning checklist is ideal for meeting preparation.

There are tons of articles and materials explaining how to prepare for a meeting, but most of them describe typical psychological tips. Modern times require technical solutions such as automation of the information gathering routines, advanced meeting planning software , etc. When everything is implemented right, you will be saving a lot of time in the long run. Your meetings will become shorter, and you will need them less because everything will be structured and precise.

Every meeting should have its set duration based on the number of questions to discuss. This way, you won’t have to waste time on “talking” instead of “doing.” When your time bank is empty, and you still haven’t come up with a good idea, better cross out the question from the agenda for now and discuss it at the next meeting. Remember that it gets hard to find an adequate solution when everyone’s fixated on the same thing. Such little tips can also give a good insight on how to prepare for a meeting and keep your workflow efficient.

When it comes to business meetings involving several departments and multiple participants, you will need to plan even more to make every minute count. Going to a serious event without meeting preparation is the first step to failure. Here is a short-list of “nice-to-haves:”

• Checklist for the meeting.
• Prepared agenda.
• Information to support and develop the agenda.
• Distributable feedback forms to gather reviews from meeting attendees

The most important idea you must understand is that the time spent preparing is an investment. Any meeting preparation must be well-balanced so that you won’t spend hours preparing for short gatherings. Optimize your time as it is the most important resource we have in our possession. Incorporate additional planning meeting tools into your strategy to improve your time-management skills, boost working productivity, and even save some money on canceled meetings you no longer need. This alone is already a good enough motivation to learn how to prepare for a meeting.

Our Complete Business Meeting Planning Checklist

Without a well-thought-out structure, your session with the team will slide into chaos, leaving you with questions unanswered and time wasted. Furthermore, an unsuccessful meeting can interrupt the normal workflow by shifting the focus to less relevant aspects (in the current scenario). That is why you need to plan your meetings.

Every host wants to be sure that their meetings are efficient but not very time-consuming. Here we gathered the most popular tips from managers in small business and big corporations. Consider reading them to understand how to organize a meeting.

• Coordinate schedules: When you are hosting a meeting, coordinate the schedule of all meeting members.
• Prepare materials: as the meeting organizer, prepare all the needed materials to share with the team.
• Determine the purpose: Set the main goals for the session. For example, decide whether you want to inform the employees about the newest updates or need to get a solution for the concrete problem.
• Develop an agenda: Develop the appropriate agenda depending on the previous paragraph. If you intend on having a meeting that will require more time than usual, inform all attendees beforehand. Don’t forget to include bathroom breaks and time for refreshment breaks.
• Arrange a place to meet: Make all necessary arrangements to reserve a meeting room big enough to host attending people comfortably. Be sure that the schedule is suitable for all main speakers expected to participate in the meeting.
• Time & Location: Share information about the time and location of your meeting.
• Double-check the equipment you will be using during the session. A digital presentation, for example, will require a laptop, powerful projector, and a big screen. All these devices must be ready before you start, so all you will need to do is connect your computer and push the button to start presenting.
• Prepare visuals: Prepare other visual materials, print them if necessary. It is also recommended to bring handouts with the most important information, so every participant will have a chance to make their notes in a structured way.
• Simulate the beginning of the meeting: This tip is optional, but we still recommend following it. When all preparations are done according to the business meeting planning checklist, do a quick test to simulate the beginning of the meeting. Hassle-free start allows you to get right to the point of the meeting faster.
• Send a reminder: The day before the meeting, send a reminder to all attendees. Everyone needs to be at the location before the meeting, organize them gently.

Download our Full Business Meeting Planning Checklist

According to the statistics, there is one reason across the board that consumes and wastes working time on all kinds of projects like no other. It is called “too many meetings” (learn more about how to reduce unnecessary meetings ). Research shows that employees and managers in big corporations participate in 70 meetings monthly spending more than one-third of their time talking and listening instead of doing actual work.

Don’t get the wrong idea here. Meetings are important, and you need them to keep your team updated. The problem is having ineffective meetings. However, there is a simple and elegant solution to this. Download our business meeting planning checklist free of charge. Following these guidelines will help you conduct more efficient meetings that will save your resources, time, and money.

It is a good example proving that you can keep everything neatly organized. By performing the recommended actions from this meeting checklist, you will optimize the meeting routines for your team. So, no one will be feeling exhausted from emotional burnout after discussing the same project over and over again. Print our checklist or save it on your mobile device for the next meeting and see for yourself. In the long run, the effectiveness of your meets with the team will increase inevitably. Sign up for the free trial of yoyomeeting for a more advanced approach inside your Outlook 365.

Friendly advice and our conclusion

Now you understand the importance of planning and meetings preparations. To make things easier for you, we have the tool that will be of great help in your business and daily routines. It is a universal instrument for managing meetings in all aspects imaginable. Facilitate the creation of meeting minutes, meeting agendas, and assign action items with the yoyomeeting add-in for Office 365.  Start your free trial now!

Improve your meetings with yoyomeeting for Outlook

With all these tips, you might be already great at planning a meeting. But to make life easier, you might want to read how our meeting management software can help with the meeting management process .

Apart from the Outlook add-in, we offer a lot more content on meeting management with hacks on how to improve your meeting culture. So follow us on Facebook  or connect to our   LinkedIn company profile  to stay in the loop and to get the latest on meeting management excellence.

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Beginner’s Guide To Conducting Meetings (5 Ground Rules)

Streamline your process, boost communication, and run meetings that people actually want to go to.

A methodology for amazing meetings. Say goodbye to boring, long, and unproductive meetings.

Nothing is more of a mood killer at work than sitting in a meeting that doesn’t feel necessary and completely lacks a purpose.

Bad meetings can derail your whole day. They waste your time and annoying your team.

But, when conducted correctly, an efficient meeting can re-energize the group, provide a launchpad for new projects, and bring up team morale for every participant.

In this article, we’ll be looking at how exactly you can turn your meetings into valuable tools to get the best out of your employees. We’ll be touching on:

• The main benefits of meetings
• The five steps to conduct a fantastic meeting
• General advice for meeting management

Let’s get right into it.

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What are the main benefits of conducting meetings?

Although many people see meetings as ineffective or a waste of time, when used correctly, an effective meeting can provide a forum for idea exchange and boost team communication.

There is a range of benefits to meetings, with a good meeting inviting the following valuable positives:

Increased communication

• Problem solving

Let’s take a look at these in more detail.

Meetings invite all of your team to one location, allowing all attendees to communicate and share ideas. In addition, a meeting can enable individuals to communicate directly with the entire team in one room or one video call. By doing this, one person can share ideas or feedback, allowing other team members to comment with their thoughts.

Considering that all meeting participants will have the opportunity to speak, a meeting can become a great place to ensure that communication flows well across all departments. While things may be lost in communication over email, meetings provide a direct form of contact.

When working in a team, especially if the group is particularly large, employees can often feel lost in the fray or isolated from their colleagues. Especially in the modern era of working from home, remote work, and freelance contracting, your team may struggle to get to know each other.

Meetings provide an opportunity to get to know others in the company, bringing everyone together for a set amount of time. Before the start or after the meeting ends, employees will have time to chat amongst themselves, building relationships and making sure that they feel included in the team they’re a part of.

Recently, a study by Oxford University brought to light that workers who feel happier at work will be, on average, 13% more productive than those who feel apathetic or negative about their workplaces. As a leader, one of the easiest ways to boost employee happiness, and therefore productivity, is to ensure every person feels like they are part of the team.

Meetings can be a valuable way of achieving this balance. 

Problem solving is ideal in a successful meeting

Another significant benefit to business meetings is that they provide a forum to work collectively on problems that are frustrating an individual or a whole team. This is especially the case in standing meetings, also known as scrum meetings, where people can present their roadblocks to the group and ask for help.

A single meeting can be productive enough to get a whole team on the same page, allowing them to start planning around how they’re going to overcome a problem. Meetings can be a great place to start coming up with ideas, with all the attendees having the opportunity to speak, participate, and share their perspectives. 

What’s more, meetings don’t have to last for two hours. You can have shorter sessions with a more defined purpose, streamlining the process and helping everyone get the information they need.

The best ideas are collaborative!

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What are the 5 ground rules for conducting an effective meeting?

A lousy meeting can waste time and put all the meeting attendees in a bad mood. 67% of workers say that a bad meeting distracts them from getting on with their jobs .

To avoid this sentiment and run an effective meeting, you’re going to want to follow five steps. Each of these addresses a different aspect of the process, helping everything run smoothly when the meeting starts.

You should include the following aspects or rules in your meetings:

• Set a meeting agenda before the meeting
• Know what type of meeting it is

Start and end on time

End with an action plan.

Let’s break each of these steps down, discussing why they help create more effective meetings.

Set a meeting agenda

Meetings live and die by their agendas. Not only does an agenda inform everyone before they arrive exactly why the meeting is happening, allowing them to prepare and know what to expect, but it also gives you a roadmap to follow during the meeting.

As soon as the meeting starts, you don’t want to waste time establishing what you want to talk about, as it should all already be down on the agenda. After a short introduction, you’ll be able to launch straight into the meat of the meeting. 

Writing an agenda beforehand also allows you to establish, both for yourself and for your team, if the meeting is essential. You don’t want to flood your team’s schedule with meeting after meeting, so a clear agenda will demonstrate to them that you’ve thought about the reasons for calling the meeting and have a specific purpose for the meeting.

Just take a look at this sample agenda . With just a click, you’ll be able to integrate this, or one of the hundreds of other agendas , into your meeting in Fellow

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Establish the type of meeting 

Not all meetings follow the same format, meaning that establishing the type of meeting beforehand (and noting it in the agenda) ensures everyone knows what they’re getting into.

Is the meeting specifically to brainstorm ideas? Maybe it's about decision-making and action plans going forward on a project? It could even just be one of many regular meetings your team has each week to catch up on how everyone is progressing.

Pay attention to the different types of meetings there are, and make sure that your employees know which type they will be attending. Once they get to the conference room or video call, you should be able to get into a group discussion as quickly as possible.

The end of meetings, no matter how good they may seem, will be derailed if you run over time. In every workplace, people are busy and need to stay on track. Due to this, punctuality is appreciated by all the participants involved.

Be sure to start your meeting when you say, don’t wait around for latecomers to arrive. Similarly, the session ends when you said it would.

Be very cautious about exceptions to these rules. Stick to your timings, and you’ll keep everything running smoothly.

If you want to run effective meetings that ensure things get done, then ensure you have your final agenda item as setting a firm action plan. This plan will allow your team to consolidate what they’ve talked about quickly and now take action on the next steps.

Talk about what will come next in the process and how the ideas you’ve discussed will transform into affirmative actions. Be sure that all your attendees come away with a clear vision of where they need to go now with the project you’ve discussed.

One of the most overlooked aspects of effective meetings is generating a set of notes that participants can look back on. Although this may seem like many small tasks that don’t make a difference, taking notes can significantly enrich your meetings.

Effective meetings will have one or many designated note-takers. Those that can type quickly are fantastic for this, jotting down the main ideas of the conversation at the same time as listening and participating.

While the notes don’t have to be as detailed as meeting minutes that break down who said what at every moment, it’s a good idea to write down the main ideas of what was discussed by the group. 

When using a meeting application like Fellow you’ll be able to take notes on each agenda item, attaching your notes to specific sections to keep everything compartmentalized. With your notes, the agenda, and the meeting calendar schedule in one place, Fellow makes your meetings as easy as possible.

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Should managers do all the talking in meetings?

Although many believe that meeting management is about keeping a formal meeting structure and getting all participants on the same page, you should take more of a back seat as a manager.

No matter how important their role is in the company, key leaders place plenty of attention on listening to what their team has to say. If you’re calling a meeting to solve a particular problem, you likely already have a fairly certain idea of what you’re going to do. Telling other people your vision won’t help you along the process of coming up with alternative angles.

Instead, you should let your team speak, come up with ideas in side conversations, and then give feedback to the room at large. With this, you’ll be gathering a range of ideas which you can then use to make a final decision.

Bring on your next meeting!

With these five steps and additional tips, you’ll be well on your way to conducting a meeting that has a clear purpose and goes off without a hitch.

If you’re looking to streamline your meeting process, making things easier for both management and your general team, then why not try out the meeting platform . With team calendar scheduling, note-taking compatibility, and a live agenda that you can create and work through, Fellow is the perfect meeting companion.

What’s more, it’s free for small teams, making this the perfect opportunity to try out the tool—and best of luck with your next meeting.

Don't let unproductive meetings slow you down

See the impact of fewer, shorter meetings, increased accountability, and enhanced productivity with Fellow.

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Effective Meeting Planning in the Call Center: 5 Tips for Better Schedules and Employee Satisfaction

In today's fast-paced work environment, it seems like every office worker's calendar is packed with appointments. Coordination is crucial, and as the world around us becomes increasingly complex, it requires even more attention. This holds true for customer service as well. Team meetings, one-on-one discussions, and training sessions all need to be integrated into an already hectic daily routine. Planning meetings in the call center can be a real challenge. In this post, we will analyze the impact of poor meeting planning on call center operations and provide 5 tips on how to better integrate meetings into your employees' daily routine.

The Challenge of Meeting Planning in the Call Center

Imagine a typical day for one of your customer-facing employees. Depending on the day and time, they may not even have a moment to grab a cup of coffee. Yet, no matter how busy the day may be, engaging in discussions with the team, having one-on-one conversations with the team leader, and attending training sessions are essential to ensure your employees continue to deliver the expected level of performance. Time for meetings becomes an endeavor and must be "carved out" from other areas such as time on phone calls or from periods when the employee would normally take a break. When it comes to team meetings, the challenge of tight schedules is multiplied by the number of team members. Finding a time when everyone is available? Nearly impossible. Moreover, the service level must also be maintained. Let's take a look at the specific impacts this can have.

Impacts on Workflow

• Ongoing customer conversations are rushed or even interrupted: Employees try to adhere to the scheduled meeting, regardless of whether they are in the middle of a conversation or not. This deprives them of the time and the opportunity to fully focus on the customer's concerns. The customer experience suffers, and employees feel even more stress.
• Delays in processing customer inquiries or issues: If customer contacts are inadequately resolved or even interrupted, it inevitably leads to a decrease in First Contact Resolution (FCR). Customers experience frustration due to prolonged response times impacting their satisfaction with the service provider.
• Increased workload for team members after meetings: When employees are pulled away from their tasks due to meetings, it disrupts their workflow and requires additional time to reorient themselves afterwards. Additionally, the time pressure mounts as employees rush to catch up on missed tasks, adding to their stress levels.

Impacts on Workforce Management

• Meetings increase shrinkage: While planned meetings can be accommodated fairly easily, unplanned meetings distort the shrinkage figures that workforce management relies on. Additionally, the possible "cognitive set-up time", required for employees to get back into the workflow after a meeting, further impacts shrinkage.
• Integrating meetings increases planning complexity: Especially when relying on basic planning tools, scheduling meetings becomes a notable challenge.

Impacts on Employee Satisfaction

• Frustration due to last-minute schedule changes: Unexpected events can trigger stress and frustration often among team members. When impromptu meetings are called, it disrupts workflows, leads to stress, and negatively impacts job performance.
• Overload and stress due to time constraints: Employees want to do a good job, especially for the customer. However, limited time for customer interaction means increased pressure and stress levels as they try to meet customer expectations within a tighter timeframe.

5 Tips for Better Meeting Planning in the Call Center

Tip 1: clear communication and advance notice.

There are pleasant surprises and less pleasant ones. Short-notice meetings definitely fall into the latter category. But even if the meeting was planned in advance, but not communicated transparently, it has the same effect. Your employees are suddenly taken out of their workflow. This can lead to situations where they may have to reassure or even disappoint customers.

Provide Timely Notice

Plan meetings as early as possible in advance. This ensures that your employees have enough time to prepare and organize their tasks accordingly.

Clear and Transparent Communication

Why is the meeting taking place? Who needs to be present? Who can attend? What points will be discussed? What preparation is required from the participants? These are all critical questions that should be proactively answered beforehand. Providing answers to these questions allows all participants to prepare and have clear expectations for the meeting.

Establish Feedback Channels

Communication should be a two-way street. Therefore, it’s important to establish feedback options. This could include a response to the email invitation, or creating a specific channel in the messenger platform. By doing this, it provides your employees the opportunity to actively participate in the meeting planning process.

• Improved Time Management: Advance notice allows employees to plan their tasks effectively enabling them to work efficiently without feeling rushed.
• Transparency and Trust are Strengthened: Open communication about meetings demonstrates that management values employees' needs and challenges fostering transparency and trust within the team.
• Conflicts are Avoided: If employees know in advance what is expected of them, potential conflicts or disagreements can be addressed proactively before they escalate.

What can you do?

Talk to the Operations Management, team leaders, and workforce planning to explore how meetings can be more effectively planned. Determine optimal times, such as during less busy periods. Discuss how to ensure that all meeting participants are informed in a timely and comprehensive manner.

Tip 2: Focus on the Essentials

We've all sat in meetings wondering why we were there in the first place. In the end, we left with nothing except the realization that both work and personal time was once again wasted. However, it's not as challenging as it seems to conduct productive meetings.

Time Limits

Time frames should be tight to ensure everyone is aware that there's no time to waste. This means the meeting starts on time, regardless of whether everyone is present. And it ends on time, even if not everything was discussed.

Delegate Discussions

Discussions are important. However, the organizer has the responsibility to assess whether the meeting is the right setting, or if another appointment would be more appropriate.

Stick to the Agenda

The agenda was sent in advance. During the meeting, these points are adhered to. If someone wants to bring up an additional point, it can be done beforehand, but not during the meeting. If there is no agenda, the meeting is unnecessary.

• Increased Attention and Productivity: Shorter meetings keep participants engaged, leading to more productive discussions and better solutions.
• Increased Participation Willingness: Employees are more inclined to actively participate in the meeting when they know it's time-limited.
• Employee Relief: A set meeting duration gives employees confidence about how much time they need to allocate for the meeting.

Make it clear to meeting organizers that participants' time is valuable. Adhering to meeting times is a sign of respect. On the other hand, it's also important to involve all participants. Rotating presenters in meetings ensures everyone contributes. Passing a ball around can also help.

Tip 3: Dare to Be More Flexible

In our business lives, we often operate on autopilot. This also applies to meetings. We've been conducting team meetings in the same way for years. But is that really effective? What flexible alternatives could there be?

Does it have to be a meeting?

Direct conversation between people remains the most effective way to exchange information. However, in today's busy work environment, the possibility of asynchronous communication should also be utilized. We're already accustomed to emails. They can be sufficient especially when it's just about informing a group of decisions. The next level would be the messenger. Here, everyone can respond when it best fits into their workflow. But be careful, discussions can sometimes escalate in written communication, as many cues conveyed through facial expressions, gestures, and voice tone are lost.

Does everyone really need to be present?

There's nothing worse than a meeting with 20 people, when only two are required The other 18 are sitting around, getting bored, or simply wondering why they're even in this meeting. Amazon introduced the two-pizza rule. If two pizzas aren't enough for the meeting attendees, the meeting is too large. Could participants rotate as well? This has the advantage that the responsibility for information dissemination lies with the team.

• Promotion of Employee Satisfaction: By offering flexible options, you acknowledge the individual needs of employees. This is appreciated and contributes to increased employee satisfaction.
• Reduction of Scheduling Conflicts: By largely avoiding rigid appointments, you reduce scheduling pressure on your employees and prevent conflicts in their calendars. This results in a harmonious work environment.
• Conflict Resolution Capability: The self-organization of teams that comes with flexibility promotes members' conflict resolution skills. Employees can make compromises and find solutions together when there are scheduling conflicts.

We understand that changes can come with some discomfort. Nevertheless, you should explore the possibilities of team self-organization and provide input where possible. Satisfied, productive, and motivated employees are the cornerstone of your call center's success.

Tip 4: Utilize Technology

There are countless technological options that can improve your meeting planning. Below, we'd like to highlight a small selection that might not immediately come to mind.

Video Conferencing Systems

Alright, this is obvious for those working with distributed teams. But even if you're not working with remote teams, this technology has benefits. See the next point.

Recordings and Transcriptions

When using a video conferencing system like Google Meet, features like transcription and video recording are already available. This allows employees who couldn't attend the meeting to still receive important information.

Especially when it comes to flexibilizing meetings, messengers come into play. Asynchronous information exchange helps employees access information exactly when their time allows.

Meeting Planning Tools

Specialized tools like our injixo Meetings help plan meetings more efficiently by considering the availability of participants and suggesting alternative dates. This saves time and minimizes planning conflicts.

• Improved Communication: Both digital communication and the ability to record meetings increase information flow in your company.
• Better Documentation: Recording and transcribing meetings make it easier to track discussions and decisions made.
• Increased Productivity: Well-implemented technology allows participants to focus on the content of the meeting rather than dealing with organizational details.

Learn about technological support. We at injixo are happy to introduce you to our meeting planner . But other technology providers would also be happy to show you the added value they can offer your Contact Center.

Tip 5: Regular Review and Adjustment

All the tips we've provided so far can bring improvements to your Contact Center. However, it's not a guarantee. That's why you should regularly review the process with your team and see what worked and what didn't.

Conduct Regular Retrospectives

Retrospectives are meetings where the team gathers to see how the process has changed since the last retrospective. What changes were made? What worked well? What didn't work so well? What changes do you want to try in the next period? It's important that this meeting should provide a safe space for every employee to say what went well and, especially, what went poorly. The result of the meeting should be a short list of adjustments to the meeting process that will be implemented in the next period.

Provide Other Feedback Channels

Certainly, not all team members will always be able to participate in the retrospective. For this reason, it's worth providing additional feedback options. This could be the good old suggestion box (perhaps in digital form). Or a (digital) board where employees can pin feedback as soon as they identify areas for improvement. Even a moderated messenger channel can work.

• Improvement of Efficiency: Continuously reviewing meetings reveals inefficiencies in planning and execution.
• Increase in Employee Satisfaction: Employees participating in retrospectives shows that they can enact change themselves. This contributes to increased employee satisfaction.
• Promotion of an Open Communication Culture: Transparently engaging with existing processes is an expression of an open communication culture. It encourages employees to give feedback and suggest improvements to meeting planning.

Meetings are necessary, yet they can disrupt the efficiency of your Contact Center. It's not only the workflow that's affected, but also customer satisfaction can be compromised. It's time to question the current planning of meetings in Contact Centers. Are they even necessary, or are there other, more flexible ways to achieve the same goals? And if they are necessary, are they being conducted productively? Are they truly scheduled at the times that are best for both employees and customers? Technology can help answer these questions and develop solutions. In any case, optimization is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process.

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Market Research

Business planning, website development, product or service selection, marketing and promotion, is it a good idea to start an online business, can i start an online business with $100, what are different types of online marketing strategies, the bottom line.

• Small Business
• How to Start a Business

Starting an Online Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Crafting a Winning Business Plan: Setting Goals and Strategies

Katie Miller is a consumer financial services expert. She worked for almost two decades as an executive, leading multi-billion dollar mortgage, credit card, and savings portfolios with operations worldwide and a unique focus on the consumer. Her mortgage expertise was honed post-2008 crisis as she implemented the significant changes resulting from Dodd-Frank required regulations.

• How to Start a Business: A Comprehensive Guide and Essential Steps
• How to Do Market Research, Types, and Example
• Marketing Strategy: What It Is, How It Works, How To Create One
• Marketing in Business: Strategies and Types Explained
• What Is a Marketing Plan? Types and How to Write One
• Business Development: Definition, Strategies, Steps & Skills
• Business Plan: What It Is, What's Included, and How to Write One
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Meaning, Types, Impact
• How to Write a Business Plan for a Loan
• Business Startup Costs: It’s in the Details
• Startup Capital Definition, Types, and Risks
• Bootstrapping Definition, Strategies, and Pros/Cons
• Crowdfunding: What It Is, How It Works, and Popular Websites
• Starting a Business with No Money: How to Begin
• A Comprehensive Guide to Establishing Business Credit
• Equity Financing: What It Is, How It Works, Pros and Cons
• Best Startup Business Loans
• Sole Proprietorship: What It Is, Pros & Cons, and Differences From an LLC
• Partnership: Definition, How It Works, Taxation, and Types
• What is an LLC? Limited Liability Company Structure and Benefits Defined
• Corporation: What It Is and How to Form One
• Starting a Small Business: Your Complete How-to Guide
• Starting an Online Business: A Step-by-Step Guide CURRENT ARTICLE
• How to Start Your Own Bookkeeping Business: Essential Tips
• How to Start a Successful Dropshipping Business: A Comprehensive Guide

Oscar Wong / Getty Images

If you want to get into the online business game, it’s a good time to start. The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped online consumer spending, including how people shop online and how they research products.

Today, 76% of Americans buy products online. Furthermore, roughly a third of people purchase items online weekly. From setting up an ecommerce business to offering web design services, there are countless avenues to explore as an entrepreneur.

Below, we’ll walk through each step to building an online business.

Key Takeaways

• When starting an online business, comprehensive market research is critical for identifying your target audience and learning how to resonate with your customers and understand their needs.
• Creating a business plan is an important step for outlining your business goals. It also includes your product description, target market, and financial projections, among other core components.
• Building your website involves setting up a domain name, finding a hosting company, and designing a strong website with consistent branding that allows your customers to navigate it intuitively.
• Choosing the right product or service to sell is essential. It’s important to think about how you’re addressing an unmet need.
• Several digital marketing strategies can be utilized, from content marketing to paid advertising, to help your business grow.

Successful online entrepreneurs study hard in order to have a thorough understanding of their market. This is important for knowing exactly how to reach your target market , because these are the people who will buy your products and drive your business growth.

At its core, market research is about understanding your customers’ needs, pain points, and solutions. It is designed to help your business better meet these needs.

Steps to Conduct Market Research

Market research involves understanding key aspects of your current and future customers. To get a clear sense of your target market, outline the characteristics of your audience—for example, age, location, gender, income, job title, and key pain points.

Once you have identified your target audience, conduct research on the following topics, which will tell you about how they make decisions and how you can better position your business:

• What are the challenges that your target market faces?
• Where do they research a given product or service?
• What are their views on pricing for this product or service?
• What factors influence their decision to make a purchase?
• Who are your competitors?

To put this market research into action, there are a number of different avenues you can take:

• Focus groups
• Competitive analysis
• Brand awareness research
• Market segmentation research

Consider the following questions that may be asked in an interview or focus group to learn more about your audience:

• “How do you search for that product?”
• “How useful was it?”
• “What words do you use when you search on Google?”

When you have completed your market research, identify what you have learned as well as your next steps based on these insights.

Creating a business plan is a key first step for all business owners . It is important for companies looking to secure funding resources. It also serves as a blueprint to summarize your key business objectives and goals.

To write a business plan , incorporate these eight main sections, which are often found in traditional templates:

• Executive summary : This is typically a one-page section that explains your objectives and includes your mission statement, core team, and why your company is positioned for success.
• Company description : This describes what you offer, your competitive advantages, and your business goals.
• Market analysis : This is where you explain your target market, market size, market trends, and competitive landscape.
• Organization and management : Explain who is working on your team and their professional background and experience.
• Service or product line : Describe the product or service you are offering, including any copyright or plans for patenting.
• Marketing and sales : Discuss your marketing and sales strategy. Discuss your pricing, key metrics, and sales plan.
• Funding request : If you are a company looking for funding, here is where you outline the capital you are requesting and where it will be allocated.
• Financial projections : Include projections for your company’s revenue and expenses. Consider including an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement in this section.

A business plan is important because it helps clarify your action points, who you are, and what you offer, all in a coherent template.

Getting your business online is the next key step. In an ever-changing environment, it is important to know the tools, trends, and strategies for building a strong online presence to allow your business to grow.

Registering Your Domain

The first step is registering your name, or your website address. This can be in the form of your business name “.com.” To purchase your domain name, you can go to sites like GoDaddy or Namecheap . If you decide to build your website using WordPress, you will need to use a site such as these to host your website.

Web Hosting Companies

Alternatively, you can buy your domain name at a hosting company. These are companies like Shopify , Wix , or Amazon Web Services , that may also offer tools to build your website and release content on them. 

Website Design

A well-designed website is important for many reasons. Using a website builder, such as Mailchimp or Squarespace , can allow you to choose a theme, customize your pages, create relevant content, and set up a payment page.

Other key aspects of your website design include its functionality, simplicity, and ease of use. Allowing your potential customers to navigate the site intuitively will be key to their experience. Brand consistency—in your logo, colors, and typeface, for example—is also key to creating a unified brand.

Another essential part of website design is its mobile application. You’ll want to ensure that your website runs smoothly on mobile, that images load properly, that the text is legible, and that buttons are intuitive to click.

This step focuses on how to choose the right product or service to sell. At the heart of this choice is the goal of solving a customer’s problem. But there are a number of strategies you can use to identify your product idea.

For example, you might consider analyzing companies with high-profit margins, products that align with your passion, burgeoning trends, items trending on online marketplaces, and/or customer reviews.

With this in mind, analyze how this product will get to your customers. Additionally, you may consider products that are not available in stores in your local market but are offered in communities such as Europe or Japan, for example.

Marketing strategy and promotion is an essential driver of business growth. As the digital landscape evolves, it’s important to have an effective marketing plan that resonates with changing consumer preferences and needs.

Here are questions that companies can consider as they create their marketing strategy, navigating today’s environment:

• Impact, value, and growth : What are the goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) that will measure success for your business? How will you explain the value that the business provides to its customers and/or society? Create an “elevator speech”—a 30-second description of what you offer and why it’s special.
• Customer need and brand promise : How does the brand meet a customer’s need through its products and services?
• Customer experience : How will the business deliver the best experiences at each stage of the customer journey?
• Organizational model : How will the business operate to serve the customer with the most impact?

These will help you understand what types of strategies can have real impact.

Types of Marketing Strategies

Consider the following digital marketing strategies that can be used for your online business:

• Email marketing
• Social media marketing
• Paid advertising
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Content marketing
• Influencer marketing

Each of these presents a different way to reach your target audience, drive conversions, or build brand awareness, depending on your marketing goals.

You need to determine that for yourself. But before starting an online business, it’s important to assess the time, investment, and resources you’ll need to get it off the ground. While the barrier to entry can be quite low, it’s worth considering your goals and strategies for making it a reality.

However, compared with starting up a traditional brick-and-mortar business, the risks of launching an online business may be reduced due to lower upfront costs such as rent, staff, and materials, among others.

The short answer: yes. While it depends on the type of business you hope to pursue, there are many ways to set up an online business at very little cost. For example, you could offer your services doing freelance work, photography, bookkeeping, or personal training. The primary costs involved include setting up your business website, which can cost as little as $2 to $20 each year with companies such as GoDaddy.

There are a number of digital marketing strategies that online businesses can use, such as content marketing, email marketing, paid advertising, SEO, and influencer marketing. Each of these strategies can be useful, depending on your product and goals.

Starting an online business can be a powerful way to launch a new product or service while reaching a wider audience. With market research, a solid business plan, a strong website, and a digital marketing strategy, you can get started in growing your company effectively. As customers increasingly make decisions virtually, building an online business is vital to any business owner’s success.

Pew Research Center. “ For Shopping, Phones Are Common and Influencers Have Become a Factor—Especially for Young Adults .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Market Research and Competitive Analysis .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Write Your Business Plan .”

Ogilvy. “ Getting Future Ready with Marketing Transformation ,” Page 15.

GoDaddy. “ How Much Does a Domain Name Cost? Find Out! ”

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Google To Invest $2 Bln In Malaysia Towards AI, Cloud Services

(RTTNews) - Google announced its plan to invest $2 billion in Malaysia for cloud computing services and data centers with a view to meeting the soaring demand for AI and cloud services. It is expected that these investments and programs would contribute more than $3.2 billion to Malaysia's GDP and support 26,500 jobs by 2030.

The company, which operates in the country for the past 13 years, will build the first data center and cloud region in Greater Kuala Lumpur. In a statement, Alphabet and Google's president, CFO, and CIO, Ruth Porat, said the investment will be Google's largest yet in Malaysia.

The data center would power Google's digital services, including Search, Maps, and Workspace. Further, the cloud region will provide services to companies and organizations in the public and private sectors. The company has also launched two AI literacy programs in the country for students and educators.

Porat said, "This investment builds on our partnership with the Government of Malaysia to advance its 'Cloud First Policy,' including best-in-class cybersecurity standards."

Further, YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz, minister of investment, trade and industry, added that Google's $2 billion investment in Malaysia will significantly advance the digital ambitions outlined in the country's New Industrial Master Plan 2030 or NIMP 2030.

"The Google data center and Google Cloud region in Greater Kuala Lumpur, in particular, will empower our manufacturing and service-based industries to leverage AI and other advanced technologies to move up the global value chain," he said.

Google has a network of 40 regions and 121 zones around the world.

Large amounts of data are required to train AI models, and the tech majors are investing billion of dollars in various countries especially in Southeast Asia to expand their data centers amid the rising demand for AI and cloud computing services.

Google's investment comes on the heels of Microsoft's announcement earlier this month of an investment of $2.2 billion in Malaysia to advance new cloud and AI infrastructure, along with its investment plans for Indonesia and Thailand.

In November last year, Amazon Web Services or AWS also had pledged $6 billion in Malaysia.

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