Setting an Appropriate Meeting Cadence

Establishing an appropriate meeting cadence is a surefire way to foster spirited collaboration among team members while beating back the risk of meeting fatigue. While there’s no perfect answer to how often a team, department, or organization should meet, there are a few guiding principles to help keep calendars manageable… and team members engaged.

Before determining the best meeting cadence, let’s define the different kinds of meetings right up front. At Ninety, like most organizations, meetings tend to fall into one of three categories: recurring, non-recurring, and reactive.?

• Recurring – We schedule meetings at roughly fixed intervals, whether daily (a quick “stand-up”), weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually. At Ninety, we tend to follow a set of simple cadence rules. For example, our Senior Leadership Team holds a Weekly Team Meeting every Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Non-recurring – These are one-off meetings scheduled for a specific day and time. A brainstorming meeting scheduled for Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. and ending at 4:00 p.m. is a great example. With such meetings, it’s imperative that an effective meeting agenda is included with the invite to ensure everyone is prepared for a productive discussion.
• Reactive – These are unplanned meetings scheduled in reaction to some internal or external event. For example, a client has an urgent issue, and a meeting is quickly pulled together to resolve the issue efficiently and effectively.?

As we consider these types of meetings, it’s essential to balance the frequency (and total number overall) of meetings with the impact(s) on team members’ productivity. Of course, that rarely falls to one person or even a few people. In larger organizations, meeting invites sometimes feel like they come from all corners. But the net effect will be positive and productive if they’re the right meetings – at the right time and duration.?

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Meeting Cadence

The purpose of a meeting goes a long way toward determining the right cadence. A huge project that falls to multiple teams and is due within a few months might require weekly or even twice-weekly meetings to ensure everyone’s informed and aligned. A longer-tail project may only need bi-weekly check-ins. Thinking ahead to a big event that’s more than a year out? Monthly meetings coupled with informal check-ins for select people may suffice in the early stages, with an increased cadence as the date draws nearer.?

We all find our rhythm with cadence as meeting purpose is established. But a good rule of thumb to follow just happens to be one of our founder’s mantras:

Less is more… until it’s not.

At Ninety, we provide the tools to run great meetings and ensure appropriate, thoughtful follow-ups. That helps significantly with establishing the right meeting cadence. We consider schedules carefully and respectfully, factoring in time zones and trying our best to minimize a slew of back-to-back meetings for anyone.?

Read the full article from Ninety on how to Choose and Set the Right Meeting Cadence .