One of the essential aspects of effective management is the ability to understand and respond to the needs of your team quickly and efficiently. Over the years, a particular practice has proven to be invaluable in achieving this: the pre-meeting memo.

What is the Pre-Meeting Memo?

Each week, one day before the scheduled one-on-one, team members are invited to send a detailed memo to their direct supervisor. This memo includes three primary sections:

  1. Urgent Points – Issues or tasks that require immediate attention.
  2. Important Points – Longer-term concerns or projects that are crucial but not immediately urgent.
  3. Other Topics – Additional matters worth discussing if time permits.

Purpose and Benefits

The pre-meeting memo serves multiple purposes. For the supervisor, it provides a clear overview of the pressing issues and key developments from the past week. This allows them to come to the meeting prepared and ready to dive into solutions without needing to spend significant time getting up to speed.

For the employee, this memo is an excellent tool for organizing their thoughts and setting a structured agenda for the upcoming one-on-one. It allows them to reflect on accomplishments, challenges, and priorities, ensuring they address what's most important during their time with their manager.

Why It Works

  1. Clarity and Preparedness: By summarizing key points in advance, both parties come into the meeting with a clear understanding of the agenda, which leads to more productive and focused discussions.
  2. Structured Feedback Loop: This practice facilitates a quick feedback loop. Questions, concerns, and proposals can be addressed promptly, with actionable plans developed during the one-on-one.
  3. Empowering Employees: Allowing team members to set the agenda reinforces their ownership of their work and development. It ensures they have a voice and can highlight the topics that matter most to them.
  4. Systematic Communication: Implementing this practice across all levels of the organization ensures a systematic communication flow. It helps to surface ideas, issues, and proposals up the hierarchy effectively and ensures transparency.

Improving the Practice

While the pre-meeting memo is a powerful tool, it's important to remember that it shouldn’t replace urgent communication. Any critical issues should still be flagged immediately rather than waiting for the weekly memo.

Additionally, it's essential to cater to individual preferences and dynamics. Some might initially find this practice cumbersome, but with time, it will become a habitual and valued part of the weekly routine.

My Practices

As a seasoned Software Director and Engineering Leader, I’ve found that a practice like the pre-meeting memo isn't just reserved for my direct reports. It's a practice I also adhere to with my superiors. It ensures that I am aligned with organizational goals, communicating effectively, and prioritizing the right tasks.

Additionally, I continuously encourage an open-door policy for urgent matters. While the weekly memo fosters structure and clarity, ad-hoc conversations for urgent issues are equally essential for maintaining agility and responsiveness.

Implementing the pre-meeting memo practice has notably improved the quality and efficiency of my one-on-ones and has become an integral part of our communication strategy. It's an approach worth considering if you’re looking to enhance your team’s performance and ensure robust, transparent communication.

Cyril Lakech