Meetings can be a double-edged sword for team productivity. They can be a powerful tool for driving collaboration, communication, and decision-making within teams. However, they can also be a major productivity drain if not conducted effectively.
In order to optimize your team’s meeting culture, it’s important to first understand the different types of meetings and their distinct purpose and optimal length.
Meeting Type
Description
Examples
Typical Size
Typical Outcome
Check-In
A meeting focused on team members sharing updates, chatting through challenges, etc
Daily Team Stand-Up
Weekly Project Check-In
2-5 attendees
Awareness
Career Check-In
A structured and periodic meeting between an employee and their manager to discuss the individual's professional development, career goals, performance, and any challenges or concerns
Quarterly Career Check-In
Promotion Check-In
2 attendees
Awareness
Collaboration
A meeting centered around generating ideas, solving problems, and fostering creativity within a team
Launch Plan Brainstorming Session
Cross-Functional Collaboration Workshop
3-10 attendees
Consideration
Decision
A meeting focused on reaching consensus and making informed choices
A meeting focused on disseminating important information to team members
New Team Member Onboarding
Project Retrospective
3+ attendees
Awareness
AMA
An "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) meeting is an opportunity for team members or stakeholders to ask questions and engage in an open discussion with a specific individual
Leadership AMA Session
Product Team AMA
10+ attendees
Awareness
All Hands
A gathering that typically involves updates from leadership, important announcements, and an opportunity for employees to engage with the leadership team
Monthly All-Hands Company Meeting
Annual All-Hands Kickoff
End-of-Year Celebration and Review
10+ attendees
Awareness
Agenda Templates
A well-structured agenda is essential for an effective meeting. It helps to keep the meeting on track and ensures that all participants are prepared to discuss the relevant topics. By using our templates, you can create agendas that are clear, concise, and easy to follow.
Check-In
Weekly Project Check-In | 30-min
Team Member Individual Updates (15 min) (3 min / update) Last week’s progress updates Last week’s key learnings This week’s priorities
Discussion Items (10 min) Open questions Blockers or dependencies
Action Items (5 min) Recap of any action items, including owner and deadline
Career Check-In
Quarterly Career Check-In | 30-min
Opening (2 min) Introduction to meeting Agenda review and alignment Meeting output expectations
Achievements & Milestones (15 min); Manager (10 min); Employee (5 min) Completed projects, successful outcomes, or positive feedback received New skills acquired or certifications obtained Personal highlights related to career growth
Challenges & Opportunities (15 min); Manager (10 min); Employee (5 min) Current development challenges Opportunities for growth or improvement Strategies for overcoming challenges and capitalizing on opportunities
Goal Setting and Development Plans (15 min); Manager (10 min); Employee (5 min) Career goals and aspirations Short-term and long-term goals for current role Potential steps and actions to achieve these goals
Action Items (3 min) Recap of any action items, including owner and deadline
Collaboration
Launch Plan Brainstorming Session | 60-min
Opening (5 min) Introduction to meeting, including context Rules for discussion Agenda review and alignment Meeting output expectations
Discussion and Prioritization (15 min) Use a framework for prioritization Discussion around the presented ideas, including exploring pros and cons and feasibility, risks, and benefits Refinement and prioritization
Action Items (5 min) Recap of any action items, including owner and deadline
Decision
Strategic Partnerships Decision Session | 45-min
Opening (5 min) Introduction to meeting, including decision points and context Agenda review and alignment Meeting output expectations
Presentation of Options (10 min) Presentation of different options or proposals related to the decision points
Discussion (15 min) Discussion around the presented options, including exploring pros and cons and feasibility, risks, and benefits
Action Items (5 min) Recap of any action items, including owner and deadline Discuss any follow-up meetings or check-ins related to the decisions
Buy-In
Product Launch Buy-In Meeting | 45-min
Opening (5 min) Introduction to meeting, including decision points for buy-in and context Agenda review and alignment Meeting output expectations
Context (15 min) Comprehensive overview of the idea, proposal, or decision that requires buy-in Relevant data, information, and background sharing
Discussion (15 min) Open discussion to address any concerns or reservations Questions or feedback
Closing and Action Items (10 min) Summary of key points and agreements Recap of any action items, including owner and deadline Discuss any follow-up meetings or check-ins related to the decisions
Info-Share
Onboarding Session for New Team Member | 60-min
Opening (5 min) Introduction to meeting, including context Agenda review and alignment Meeting output expectations
Onboarding Overview (30 min) Overview of the company culture, mission, and values Introduction to key team members and roles Walkthrough of essential policies, procedures, and tools Project Overview (20 min) Overview of initial project(s)
Action Items (5 min) Recap of any action items, including owner and deadline Discuss any follow-up meetings or check-ins related to the decisions
Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes) Welcome everyone Agenda review and alignment Meeting output expectations
Presentation (40 min) Primary Presentation – key achievements, milestones, challenges, the vision for the future and strategic direction, etc. Department / Team Presentations – recent accomplishments, ongoing projects, etc. Recognition of outstanding individual and team achievements
Q&A (15 min) Questions from team members, either submitted in advance or asked live
Feel free to adapt these examples based on your organization's specific needs and terminology.
Preparing clear and concise agendas for team meetings is central to optimizing your organization’s meeting culture. Those agendas cannot live in silo, though. It’s critical to leverage the right tools to keep track of agendas so it’s easy to follow up on action items and refer back to past conversations. Here are some effective tools for agenda management:
Meetings can be a great way to get everyone on the same page and get stuff done, but only if they're done right. Agendas are a core tenet of an effective meeting.
The templates we've provided are like blueprints for building great agendas. They give you a solid structure to follow, but feel free to adapt them to your specific needs and meeting types.
Remember, a good agenda is like a good roadmap—it guides you where you need to go and helps you avoid getting lost along the way. So, embrace the power of agendas and watch your meetings transform from time-wasters into productivity powerhouses. Happy meeting!
Connect and engage with your teammates
Candor makes it easy to connect and have fun with your teammates, even while you’re remote. Use Candor to do feedback, shoutouts, check-ins, and more, all in one place.
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