Use this checklist before scheduling a new meeting or requesting time on someone else's agenda. Not everything requires a meeting. When something does, being clear about why helps you show up prepared and use the time well.
This checklist walks you through three questions: What kind of conversation is this? Does it actually need to be a meeting? And if so, do you need your own meeting or time on an existing one?
Before you think about scheduling anything, get specific about what kind of conversation this is. This will shape whether you need a meeting at all, whether you need your own meeting or time on someone else’s agenda, and how you prepare for and lead the conversation.
Here are some common reasons you might need meeting time to move work forward:
Gathering Context, Support, or Input
| Reason | What this sounds like… |
|---|---|
| Getting input or feedback on a decision | "I'm working on making a recommendation for an upcoming decision and need input from the team before I finalize my recommendation." |
| Aligning on responses | "I was asked a question recently by someone outside our team and I wasn't quite sure how to respond OR I want to make sure I'm aligned with the rest of the team before I respond." |
| Surfacing and validating a problem | "I think we have a problem that needs solving and I want to better understand how widespread or isolated it is before jumping into problem-solving mode." |
| Stuck and need thought partnership | "I (or a small group of us) are struggling with an issue and want thought partnership from the rest of the team." |
| Checking in on status and surfacing risks | "I need to understand where the team's work stands so I can spot risks early and we can troubleshoot together." |
Learning, Doing, or Deciding Something
| Reason | What this sounds like… |
|---|---|
| Making a decision | "The input has been gathered, the recommendation is ready, and we need the right people in the room to agree and commit." |
| Problem-solving | "We've identified a problem and need to talk about potential solutions together." |
| Debriefing | "We recently made a decision or finished a project, and I want to debrief how it went OR I want the rest of the team to learn from our process and lessons learned." |
| Aligning on priorities | "We need to get on the same page about what matters most and what we're deprioritizing to make room." |
| Defining next steps and ownership | "We have the direction and now we need to map out who's doing what and by when." |
Sharing Information
| Reason | What this sounds like… |
|---|---|
| Heads-up | "I'm working on something right now that will impact others on this team in the next 1–2 weeks." |
| Important update | "I have an important update to share, and I want the team to be aware and have an opportunity to ask questions." |
| A decision has been made or a change is in motion | "A decision has been made / a change is in motion and I need others to know about it OR I need support from this team to communicate or implement it effectively." |
| Flagging a risk or blocker | "Something has come up with my work and I need the team to know about it so they are not caught off guard and I can get their help." |
Now that you're clear on your reasons, pressure-test whether a meeting is the right way to get there.
All of the needs outlined above can be achieved in a meeting, through asynchronous communication, or through a hybrid.
If you checked both, this is a good candidate for a meeting. If not, consider an email, a memo, or a quick async message instead.
Not every topic requires a standalone meeting. Sometimes the better move is to get time in a standing meeting that's already on the calendar.
Time on a standing meeting is best when both of these are true: