When to Take Real-time Meetings Async

When to Take Real-time Meetings Async

Unproductive meetings drive people to unlikely solutions. Here’s how to decide which meetings can be async threads (and which can’t) and how to turn them into async conversations.Unproductive meetings are more apparent than ever. Whether they’re multi-hour monologues, awkwardly quiet brainstorming sessions, or planning gatherings that don’t result in any real plans, unhelpful meetings

The meetings that should be async

Twist is the first team messaging app designed for async-first communication

Brainstorms

Studies show that traditional brainstorming meetings produce fewer good ideas than other methods, yet they continue to be the default for many teams

Moving work forward

Once you’ve kicked off a project, you can get a lot of work done together while apart.

Timely decision-making

When an emergency happens, get into the same room or on a call with all the relevant parties

Announcements

Make announcements available to peruse on their own time.

Very detailed or complex topics

Have a meeting to get everyone on the same page

Status updates

Weekly snippets to track what’s on everyone’s plate for the week and make sure projects stay on schedule

Building bonds

Introductions to new team members, casual hangouts, and regular one-on-one meetings with your manager aren’t the same when they’re not face to face

Emotionally charged discussions

Just as post-it notes don’t pass for honest heart to hearts during breakups, emails don’t work for emotional conversations in the workplace.

Async-first doesn’t mean async-only

Move one recurring meeting to an async thread and see how it goes

Kickoffs and Planning Meetings

When there are many dependencies to work through, work schedules to align, or many unknowns about project scope, it can be easier to start with a kickoff meeting.

Reviews, feedback requests, and approvals

The most helpful, articulate feedback happens when people have time to think through and clearly communicate their comments

Anytime Not Everyone Can Make a Meeting

If you can’t have everyone in the same room at the same time, turn the meeting into detailed written communication that allows everyone to participate

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