Meetings have a bad rep, but if we do them right, it can be some of the most productive time we spend together.

Head to How We Communicate to read up on some of our broader basics.

General Guidelines

Meetings can be valuable but they’re often lacking the structure and facilitation to make them truly worth their time. We should all:

• Optimise for output (and the host/planner is responsible for this). Don't plan a meeting if it doesn't have a clear expected output. If you set up a 1-hour meeting for 4 people, the cost of the meeting is 4-hours, not 1, so make sure you know what you want to get out of the meeting and why it's important that everyone invited is there
• Always set an agenda and take notes. It's important that others know in advance why they have been asked to attend a meeting, what the agenda is, and what has been discussed and decided at the meeting via notes and actions circulated afterwards
• Listen and welcome everyone to contribute. We don't want our meetings to be dominated by the loudest voices. An agenda enables a more inclusive meeting — attendees can contribute to the agenda and prep in advance

<aside> 🍩 The exception to these guidelines are our fortnightly Donut app enabled #coffee-buddies hangouts. The randomness of these chats is what makes them great!

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Individual & Company-Wide Meetings

1:1s

Usually 30-min, held weekly, between manager and direct report

The purpose of 1:1s at Pento is alignment and support — attendees can align around the direct reports current goals and work in progress, and the direct report can seek the input and support of their manager on areas that they have defined as needing their input. This is why the direct report is responsible for the agenda and (usually) the output of the meeting.

Feedback is an important exchange within 1:1s — often from a manager, however we encourage feedback to flow up through our organisation also (managing up is just as important). We encourage direct reports to share feedback that they have recently received from others with their manager. This transparency allows a manager to share their perspectives and support their direct report.

<aside> 💡 Many of the team have set up a tracker for their 1:1s – to capture agenda items in advance and track actions coming out of the meeting.

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All Hands

We have an All Hands every week: