I can tell if a meeting is going to fail by looking at one thing. The meeting invitation.
This sounds like a big claim but it actually isn’t. The truth is it’s very obvious – because the difference between a great meeting and one that is likely to waste your time is so glaring you can’t miss it.
To explain, let’s start by breaking down the key things everyone in a meeting needs to know:
- The topic
- The purpose
- The desired output
Topic: What is the meeting about? What is the theme, project, or subject that links the discussion and activities in the meeting.
Purpose: Why is the meeting happening? What will the people in the meeting do, achieve, or solve in the time together?
Output: What is the “thing” the meeting should produce. Is it a list of ideas, a decision, creating a plan, or something else?
Clear enough?
It’s easy to see how these are important for both the meeting organiser and the participants.
- The meeting organiser needs to know them in order to invite the right people and plan the best activities.
- The participants will use them to help decide whether to attend the meeting, what to prepare, and how they can contribute.
If the organiser can’t plan, or a participant can’t contribute, how can the meeting possibly succeed?
And this is why I can tell within a few seconds of seeing a meeting invitation whether the meeting is likely to fail.
If the invitation doesn’t include a clear statement of the topic, the purpose, and the desired output, there is a very high chance the meeting will not succeed.
In short, bad invitations lead to bad meetings.
Never Send a Blank Invitation
The worst kind of bad invitation is the one that says almost nothing at all. The dreaded blank invite….
Think about the last time you got a vague or blank meeting invite. Did you feel ready and informed? Probably not.
Please, please, I beg of you, please, don’t send blank meeting invitations.
Imagine a coworker walks up to you and says, “Be in meeting room 2 at 10:30 tomorrow,” then just walks away. No explanation, no context. It’s more like a summons than an invitation. Nobody wants to feel like they’re being summoned to a meeting or left wondering about what lies ahead in their workday.
If you’re anything like me you’d probably feel annoyed, perhaps even a bit anxious. Either way I doubt you’re looking forward to a productive conversation.
If you want your meeting to start off on the right foot, your invite needs to be more than just a date, time, and subject line.
How to Write a Great Meeting Invitation
The good news is that writing a solid invitation is easy. Here’s what to include:
- Subject Line: Clearly state the topic and purpose of the meeting.
- Example: “Project Everest: Identifying Team Members”
- Example: “Staff Outing: Confirming the Date”
- Body of the Invitation: Cover the topic, purpose, output, and any prep work attendees need to do.
- Topic: What’s the meeting about?
- Purpose: Why are you having this meeting?
- Output: What will the meeting produce?
- Preparation: What do attendees need to do or bring?
These details make sure everyone knows what they are being invited to, what’s expected, and how to prepare.
Practical Example
Say you’re setting up a meeting for a new project, Project Everest. You need to identify team members for key roles. Here’s how your invite might look:
This invite tells people exactly what to expect and how to prepare, which means your meeting will be more focused and effective.
A Note About Preparation
Don’t assume everyone will prepare just because the invitation says so.
Why? Well, and this may come as a shock—some people don’t read meeting invitations!
If you really need people to prepare before a meeting, contact them directly by phone, message, email, or in person and make sure they are aware of the need to prepare.
This may seem like extra work up front, but it will avoid having to waste time in the meeting when people turn up unprepared.
What to do if you receive a bad invitation
This one is easy – if you receive an invitation that doesn’t include a clear Topic, Purpose, or Output, contact the meeting organiser and ask them to give you the information.
Even better, ask them to update the invitation so everyone in the meeting gets the info they need.
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Interested in learning more? Check out this short video on how to write a great invitation. It’s part of a free mini-series on how to plan and run great meetings.