7: How to Invite the Right People to Your Meetings

This episode examines the process I use and suggest to decide who to invite to specific meetings.

People to Invite

In general, the best people to invite are those who can:

1. Make decisions
2. Give valuable input and insights
3. Move things forward

People Not to Invite

Inviting the wrong people often drags the meeting down, makes it difficult to facilitate, and make decisions.

I do not invite people to my meetings or ask them not to attend if they:

1. Are curious to hear what is going on
2. Can’t explain why they need to attend
3. Can’t explain what value they will bring or ADD to the meeting
4. Just want “keep tabs on what’s going on”

If someone simply wants to be “informed” I don’t think that is a sufficient reason to attend unless the meeting minutes aren’t very good. Great meeting minutes should address all these needs. Are your minutes great?

General Guidelines

1. Set a limit of two people from a given team or function
2. Send minutes to anyone that wants to receive them
3. Make the minutes so good that people can substitute them for attending the meeting
4. Keep track of each attendee and the function they represent with a “people map.”

Credits

• Pulse Rock by Kevin MacLeod
• Sax, Rock, and Roll by Kevin MacLeod

All songs licensed under Creative Commons

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