Make room for the decisions that matter
Fictional Northstar Services leadership update: we are trying a simpler approach to project meetings. Start with the decision that needs a conversation, share background in advance and finish with clear actions.
The decision
For a small project-team trial, meeting organizers will state the intended decision in the invitation. When there is no decision or discussion to have, the team can share a written update instead.
Give the reasoning room
The trial begins with a practical question: can colleagues understand what is needed before joining the meeting? We will learn from the invitations, discussions and follow-up.
Participants can prepare for a specific question. Organizers remain responsible for including the people and context needed to make a useful decision.
Help people act
| Next step | Who takes it |
|---|---|
| Write the decision in the invitation | Meeting organizer |
| Read the short brief and raise missing context | Participants |
| Record actions and owners | Meeting organizer |
| Discuss what helped and what needs adjusting | Project team at its next retrospective |
Questions about the trial
Does every meeting need to change?
This example starts with one project team’s decision meetings. Workshops, one-to-ones and other conversations may need a different format.
What will we share next?
The team will share examples of invitations that worked well, where the format needed adjustment and whether it should try the approach more widely.