This checklist gives you the tools to create a lean meeting by ensuring you ask all the right questions and put together the most effective approach for getting the most out of every meeting, especially client meetings.

Checklist:

• Determine the overall purpose of the meeting.
• Develop written objectives.
• Determine who should attend based on RACI.
• Determine the format of the meeting and schedule.
• Create an agenda with topics and time slots.
• Compile and distribute pre-reading forty-eight hours prior.
• Be prepared to lead meeting or assign moderator.
• Choose meeting material format—word or ppt.
• Take notes or assign a notetaker and get the notes out within twenty-four hours of meeting.

Lean Routine:

1. Have you identified the purpose of the meeting? Consider aligning it to a LEAN phase. Are you laying out the plan? Are you executing on the plan? Are you analyzing progress against the plan? Are you getting a group together to debrief and plan the next steps?
2. Have you written out the objectives for the meeting? Do you know what a successful outcome to the meeting would look like? If it is successful, what will you walk out of the meeting and be able to do (that which you would not be able to do if you did not have the meeting, or if the meeting was not successful)?
3. Have you considered who should be at the meeting and the role each participant should play? Consider using a model like RACI. (Your clients often use this approach).

a. Anyone responsible for making a decision should certainly be there.

b. Anyone accountable—meaning they must sign off on any decisions made—should be there.