This week was packed with many meetings: OKR review&retro, OKR planning, team monthly meeting, Terraform refactoring planning, DWH vision, new project discussions, and 1:1s. Some of these happen regularly (like OKRs every tertial), others are ad-hoc.
What I realized: preparation is everything.
Only with the right setup can a meeting truly be worth the time we spend in it. Here are a few principles I keep in mind:
✅ Define the goal – Every meeting needs a clear purpose. What should be achieved when people leave the room?
✅ Stay on track with a clear agenda – A structured flow (intro, main part, closing) helps keep focus and ensures nothing gets lost.
✅ Invite the right people – Each participant can help and have a role: taking minutes, keeping track of time.
✅ Strong moderation – A moderator is more than just a chairperson. They guide discussions, support problem-solving and decision-making, and apply techniques for visualization and conflict resolution.
✅ Acknowledge the emotional side – Meetings aren't only about facts. Emotions and relationships influence how teams work together, and they deserve space too.
✅ Challenge routines – Just because a meeting has "always been there" doesn't mean it's still useful. Regularly review recurring meetings and adjust when needed.
When preparation, purpose, and people align, meetings become a driver of collaboration instead of a calendar blocker.
💭 Curious: How much of your working time goes into meetings?
A study back in 2007 showed that German employees spent on average 14% of their working time in meetings. I wonder what the percentage looks like for us today…
This is part of my "100 Days as Head of Data and Cloud" series. Follow along as I share insights, challenges, and learnings from this new leadership role.