Meetings & notes21 categories
Write a pre-read people will actually read
When the meeting only works if everyone arrives with the same context.
Write a pre-read document from the material below. One page maximum. Structure: 1. **What we are deciding**, in one sentence, at the very top. 2. **What you need to know**, as short paragraphs, not bullets, so the reasoning is visible. 3. **The options**, each with what it costs and what it gives up. Include the option of doing nothing. 4. **The recommendation**, stated clearly, with the reason. A pre-read without a recommendation just moves the thinking into the room. 5. **What I want from the meeting**: the specific question I need answered. Assume the reader has five minutes and will skim. Front-load everything. Flag any claim that rests on an assumption rather than data. Material:
Making it yours
- Paste your own material where the prompt asks for it. Everything above that line is instruction, not content.
- Delete any rule that does not apply to you. A shorter prompt that fits beats a thorough one that does not.
- If the answer comes back vague, add a line saying what you do not want. Constraints work better than encouragement.
Before and during. Agendas, pre-reads, prep for a 1:1 or an exec slot, and plans for retros and workshops.
Related prompts
Design an agenda that earns the hourBefore sending a calendar invite that would otherwise just have a title.Prepare for a one-to-oneFifteen minutes before a 1:1 you would otherwise improvise.Plan and facilitate a retrospectiveRunning a retro that should produce change rather than a list of grumbles.Prepare to present to executivesYou have ten minutes with senior people and a deck built for forty.Structure a brainstorm that produces somethingBefore a session where the loudest person would otherwise set the direction.Plan a half-day workshopFacilitating a longer session and needing a minute-by-minute plan.
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